Peter Sagan consolidates Green Jersey lead with tough Stage 5 Win

Sagan beats Van Aert, Trentin and Cobrelli in the final sprint to take his 12th Tour de France stage win

Stage 4 was probably the toughest stage so far, which included tow category 3 climbs and two category 2 climbs with the last two climbs rearing up in the final 35 kms.

Four riders established the days breakaway; Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), Mads Würtz Schmidt (Katusha-Alpecin), Toms Skujins (Trek-Segafredo) and Simon Clarke (EF Education First) and built up a lead of just over 3 minutes.

The peloton wouldn't let the break get too far ahead as they were looking for a bunch sprint at the end of the stage.

With 66 kms to go and the breakaway leaders still had a lead of 1m 38s, Tim Wellens took maximum Polka Dot KOM points at the top of the Côte du Haut-Koenigsbourg,

Behind the race hotted up as the favorites came to the fornt of the bunch on the penultimate climb of the tougher Cote de Trois-Epis with 34 kms to go.

Up front Tom Skujins soloed away from his breakaway companions Tim Wellens and Simon Clarke (EF Education First).

The breakaway was reeled in, as the reduced peloton crested the final climb final climb of Cote des Cinq Chateaux with Julian Alaphilippe and Wout Van Aert getting a small gap with 15 kms to go.

Several sprinters were out the back including Caleb Ewan, Dylan Groeenewegen, Kristoff and Viviani.

Up front sprint favorites Sagan, Cobrelli, Trentin, Mathews, Van Avermaet and Stuyven were poised, a spent Boasson Hagen managed to get back on after the final climb.

Ruo Costa decided to have a go with aorund 9 kms to go and got a good gap but was reeled in by the speeding peloton with 4 kms to go.

In the finale, Jasper Stuyven went first after a good leadout, with Trentin behind and Sagan.

Sagan overhauled them all on the line to take his 12th Tour de France stage win and consolidate his lead in the Green Points jersey.

Sagan said to the media, "You just have to be patient and the victory will come. I have to say thanks to all my teammates, they did a very great job. Finally a Tour de France victory came for us, it's very nice. We controlled the race all day, on the flat part until the finish."

"I did my best and it came. If I don't win, then everybody will ask me what is missing. You can see, nothing is missing. It's just everybody needs good luck and a good day for a win."

VIDEO: 2019 Tour de France Stage 5 Highlights

2019 Tour de France Stage 5 Top 10

1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe 4:02:33
2 Wout Van Aert (Bel) Team Jumbo-Visma
3 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Mitchelton-Scott
4 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
5 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC Team
6 Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
7 Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb
8 Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
9 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
10 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep

2019 Tour de France GC after stage 5

1 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep 18:44:12
2 Wout Van Aert (Bel) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:00:14
3 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:00:25
4 George Bennett (NZl) Team Jumbo-Visma
5 Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb 0:00:40
6 Egan Bernal (Col) Team Ineos
7 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Ineos 0:00:45
8 Enric Mas (Spa) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:46
9 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:50
10 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC Team 0:00:51