Sam Bennett (An Post-Chainreaction) celebrated his recent selection to Ireland’s World championship squad by winning stage five in the Tour of Britain today.

Thus Bennett improved his runner-up spot from stage 2. The 23-year-old Irishman was the fastest of an elite group that had formed after attacks on the two climbs of the steep gradients of the Caerphilly Mountain, beating Michal Golas (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) into second, with Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling) rounding out the podium for the day.

Tucked safely in the front group, having been protected by his teammates from several attacks by Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Dan Martin (Garmin-Sharp), was race leader Bradley Wiggins (Sky), whose grip on the gold jersey remains safe for another day.

The majority of the 177.1km stage was characterised by a long breakaway from KOM Angel Madrazo (Movistar), Jacob Rathe (Garmin-Sharp), Stefano Pirazzi (Bardiani-CSF), and Peter Williams (IG-Sigma Sport). Sweeping up the points available before the Caerphilly Mountain, Madrazo solidified his lead in the KOM competition. The quartet was never allowed to obtain much more than a three minutes lead, by Wiggins’ Sky team, and was duly reeled in on the lower slopes of the first Caerphilly Mountain ascent.

There then followed several attacks from riders such as Nairo Quintana, Dan Martin and Sergio Pardilla (MTN-Qhubeka), but Team Sky managed to pull everybody back, thinning the lead group to little more than a dozen as it hit the finish.

Result stage 5
1. Sam Bennett, An Post-Chainreaction
2. Michal Golas, Omega Pharma-Quick Step
3. Martin Elmiger, IAM Cycling
4.David Le Lay, Sojasun
5. Jack Bauer, Garmin-Sharp
6. Simon Yates, Great Britain National Team
7. Bradley Wiggins, Sky Procycling
8. Sébastien Reichenbach, IAM Cycling
9. Ian Stannard, Sky Procycling
10. Nairo Quintana, Movistar Team

General classification after stage 5
1. Bradley Wiggins, Sky Procycling
2. Ian Stannard, Sky Procycling, 37”
3. Martin Elmiger, IAM Cycling, 47”
4. Jack Bauer, Garmin-Sharp, 55”
5. Michal Golas, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, 1’12”