Belgian Greg Van Avermaet wins Tour’s Stage 5 and takes yellow jersey

Belgian cyclist Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team) won Wednesday’s Stage 5 of the 2016 Tour de France and took the yellow jersey for overall leader.

Van Avermaet finished the 216 kilometer (134.2 mile) fifth stage from Limoges to Le Lorian in 5 hours, 31 minutes, 10 seconds, ahead of his compatriot, Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), by 0:2:34.

Van Avermaet, who started the morning 18 seconds behind former yellow jersey holder, Slovakian Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), climbed the overall individual time rankings and now sits in the lead, 0:5:11 ahead of second place Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe (EtixxQuick Step).

Spanish cyclists Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team), Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Team Katusha) and Briton Chris Froome (Team Sky) sit third, fourth and fifth respectively.

Spaniard Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) struggled in Stage 5, losing 33 seconds in the overall rankings.

“I have to take it day by day, let’s see if we can recuperate some time in the Pyrenees or the Alps,” Contador said.

Thursday’s Stage 6 of the Tour from ArpajonsureCere to Montabauban features a 190.5 km (118 miles) run with a gradual descent out of the Massif Central.