Moreno Hofland proved that he is more than just a sprinter when he survived the tough climbing in yesterday's stage of Paris-Nice. In the end, he failed to come away with a result on a day where his Belkin team was happy to keep Wilco Kelderman safe.

Moreno Hofland and Wilco Kelderman punched into the top-20 in Thursday's rollercoaster stage as Colombian Carlos Betancur won stage 5 out of a late, three-man attack at Paris-Nice. Belkin Pro Cycling Team rode as a unit to protect Kelderman's overall placement, now eighth at 15 seconds back, and position Hofland for a chance at victory for a sprint finish.

"If it came down to a sprint, we wanted to lead out Moreno, but those three got away, and they were strong, so it was not possible," said Sport Director Merijn Zeeman. "It was still very good for Moreno to be there, in a race like Paris-Nice, to survive those hard climbs, that is a very big compliment. Wilco was very concentrated, it was a solid day for us."

Five riders pulled clear early, meaning that Belkin could sit in the bunch to save their energy until the decisive final climb, but it was still a hard day in the saddle.

"It was a hectic day. We passed a lot of small roads, with a strong breakaway with strong riders, so the pace was very high," Zeeman said. We sat comfortable in the peloton. We knew the crucial points and we were in front in the good moments. We were happy with that. The main priority was to get Wilco safe in the group, so that was all good."

Friday's 220km sixth stage features four hard climbs, including a short but steep hilltop finale to Fayence that will prove decisive in the overall standings.

"Tomorrow is an uphill finish, the only one this week. It's hard day, with a very explosive final," Zeeman said. "It will be a big fight with the favorites, we want to take back some seconds, and try to move Wilco up. Tomorrow it's important to take seconds on your direct competitors. It's decisive."

You can read our preview of stage 6 here and follow our live coverage of the stage at 14.25 CET on CyclingQuotes.com/live.