Tom Dumoulin was the first over the finish line from Team Giant-Alpecin on the 192km Stage 5 of Paris-Nice, on a tough drag to the finish. The team looked in a good position in the final 2km, driving the pace to close the gap to the lone leader at the end, but then faded as the line approached.

The day’s breakaway went close to the line with Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) holding on until the final 400m, but the peloton was to have its day at the finish. In the drag race to the line Davide Cimaloi (Lampre-Merida) was fastest, while Dumoulin finished 19th and John Degenkolb back in 34th.

The day got off to a slightly sour note for the team as Ramon Sinkeldam did not start the stage, too ill to ride after having gastrointestinal problems the night before. But spirits were still high at the start as the team rolled out with seven riders from Saint-Etienne.

The day’s break didn’t take long to establish itself with five riders pulling out an advantage of 3’50”. This steadily dropped again under the pressure of the race leader’s team, Etixx Quickstep, and with 20km to go it was down to just 1’30”.

The front of the race started to attack one another and going into the final five kilometres, over the final climb of the day, three riders lead with 30 seconds. Three were reduced to two, and then one as De Gendt piled on the pressure but the final drag to the line proved too much.

Team Giant-Alpecin hit the front int he final kilometres to peg back the escape but they became swamped at the road started to rise at the finish and were left fighting for the minor placings.

Team Giant-Alpecin coach Christian Guiberteau said after the stage: “It was a high-speed, and stressful final today. Roy [Curvers] got caught up in a crash and Tom was delayed here too but he managed to get back up to the front before the finish with a big effort. In the final, Koen [De Kort] tried to bring John to the front but they couldn’t stick with each other and John wisely didn’t put everything on the line to risk it with a some big objectives coming in the next few weeks.”

Warren Barguil added: “It was tough today after yesterday’s crash, I was hurting a bit all over, but I was trying to stay smiling on the bike. Now I am focused on doing everything I can to help Tom. I waited and helped him to come back after he was caught behind he crash and I’ll do what I can on the hills tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll feel a bit better then too.”