For the first time in the Tour of Hainan, a race around the southernmost tropical island of China, rain fell, and with an uphill finish it was looking to be a treacherous finish to the 191.9-kilometer fifth stage Saturday.

However, the rain eased for the finish in Qiongzhong, but despite the dry roads in the finale a large crash occurred with around 700 meters to go resulting in a small group contesting the finish while the rest of the peloton was held up by the melee.

Trek's Fabio Silvestre avoided the crash, but after the long stage yesterday, and more hills in the latter part of today’s race, he lacked the legs for the one-kilometer uphill finish and finished 13th.  Szymon Rekita and Leonardo Basso were caught up in the crash but escaped relatively unscathed.

“Today Fabio said he did his maximum but that the finish was too hard for him,” said director Adriano Baffi. “With the big crash at the end only 30 riders, more or less, went for the sprint. Rekita and Basso were both involved, but no damages. Rekita has a bit pain in his shoulder but should be okay.”

Benjamin Giraud (Team Marseille 13 KTM) won the stage ahead of race leader Sacha Modolo (Lampre-Merida) and Andrea Palini (Skydive Dubai - Al Ahli Club).

“It was a big fight for the first 40 kilometers,” explained Baffi about the race. “Again Rekita was active and jumped in some attacks at the start, and again later. Fabio was 4th in the first sprint bonification and then a break of three riders went away.

“Lampre controlled them easily and after the 3rd intermediate sprint at 150kms they waited for the peloton. It was up and down at the end and there were a lot of attacks. In one of them Rekita jumped again, but there was little chance because a lot of teams were working for the sprint.”

Sunday the nine-stage tour continues with a 174-kilometer stage 6 that again is expected to end in a sprint finish.