Julian Arredondo (Trek) made use of his explosive climbing skills to tackle the brutally steep Muro Guardiagrele in today's Tirreno-Adriatico stage and ended the stage in 9th. The result moves him into fourth against a high-level field what is his first ever WorldTour race.

Eight riders formed the principal breakaway for the 192-kilometer stage five, which included Trek Factory Racing’s Yaroslav Popovych. The maglia azzurra clad team Omega Pharma-Quick Step allowed the escapees the liberation of a large lead, and by kilometer 70 they had gained 12 minutes.

However, with the looming 12.4-kilometer Passo Lanciano mountain climb, followed by the ridiculous steep 610-meter wall with gradients reaching between 22-30%, there was little concern from behind.

It was good move for Trek Factory Racing as the team plan was to have a rider ahead to help support Julián Arredondo and Robert Kiserlovski after the long climb. However, most of the breakaway was absorbed on the Passo Lanciano climb - including Popovych - while four riders were able to hold their advantage over the top.

The anticipated attack by Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) came around the halfway point and shattered what remained of the chasing leading group; he would be the only one to catch the four leaders. The quintet came into the finish climb together and Contador muscled his way to the front on the steepest 30% grade and held on for the win, while Simon Geschke (Giant Shimano) and Ben King (Garmin Sharp) dug deep to hang on for second and third.

Behind, a small group with Kiserlovski and Arredondo would claw back a group of five at the bottom of the final ascent. Arredondo would fight hard to finish ninth on the stage, and move up to fourth in GC.

“I did not feel super at the beginning of the day, I had a tension in both my knees, but I was hoping it would go away as I rode and it did,” explained Arredondo at the finish. “After this I was super motivated. At the bottom of the big climb the attacks by Contador and Quintana exploded the group. I struggled at this point but found a good group with [Chris] Horner and [Diego] Ulissi and we caught the Quintana group by the start of the wall. I felt really good at the steepest part; I did not have to zigzag like the others and made up some places.”

Robert Kiserlovski also finished strong, battling back on the long mountain climb to scramble his way onto the leaders, and now holds onto 10th in the overall.

“First part of the long climb I had hunger knock, and after I ate something I was able to feel like myself, and get my rhythm back. Slowly I came back, and by the end of the downhill I had caught back on.  But then I lost my bottle,” laughed Kiserlovksi. “But really in the end it was just because it was a little too steep for me. Now I look towards the TT and I will try my best in that.

“I expected Contador to attack. We all did, that was not a surprise. For myself I am happy, this is my first race, and I must get used to racing and climbing with the racing rhythm.”

Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) lost the blue leader’s jersey to Contador, finishing well back and slipped out of the top 10 overall. Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Roman Kreuziger (Tinkoff-Saxo) are second and third respectively, ahead of Arredondo in fourth.

You can read our preview of stage 6 here.