Miguel Angel Lopez attacks to win Queen Stage and take Leader's Jersey

The Queen stage of the Vuelta a San Juan was won by an attacking Miguel Angel Lopez being first to crest the Alto de Colorado climb, securing the stage win and taking over the general classification

The Colombian, who rides for Team Medellin-EPM solo'd to the finish after attacking with 6.6 km to go.

The race started with a breakaway of 7 riders from local teams. Italian rider of Green Project-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè Manuele Tarozzi was the one who took maximum KOM points on the intermediate climbs to become the new leader of the mountain's classification. The break was caught by what was left of the peloton around 6 km to the end.

With 10 km to the finish Remco Evenepoel attacked but Ineos's Ganna and Berna chased and caught him. A succession of attacks proceeded, Remco was dropped, leaving Miguel Angel Lopez and Sergio Higuita alone. But the duo didn't stay together for a long as Lopez dropped Higuita and continued alone.

INEOS-Grenadiers Filippo Ganna attacked but could catch Miguel Angel Lopez on the steeper climbs.

Miguel Angel Lopez won ahead of Filippo Ganna and Sergio Higuita who won the sprint for the 3rd place ahead of Bernal and Rubio.

Stage six is the return to flat terrain, virtually no climbing. The stage will start and end in the Vicente Chancay Velodrome (just outside of it) and will be a day for the pure sprinters.

VIDEO: 2023 Vuelta San Juan Stage 5 Final Kms

2023 Vuelta San Juan Stage 5 Top 10

1 COL Miguel Ángel López Team Medellin-EPM 04:07:10
2 ITA Filippo Ganna INEOS Grenadiers + 30
3 COL Sergio Higuita BORA-hansgrohe + 38
4 COL Egan Bernal INEOS Grenadiers + 40
5 COL Einer Rubio Movistar Team + 40
6 COL Brandon Rivera INEOS Grenadiers + 51
7 BEL Remco Evenepoel Soudal Quick-Step + 01:09
8 COL Nicolas Paredes SEP San Juan + 01:09
9 USA Kevin Vermaerke Team DSM + 01:11
10 USA Quinn Simmons Trek-Segafredo + 01:31