Aru conquers first Tour stage climb

Italian shows his mettle to stake claim to title

FABIO Aru made a statement of intent yesterday and showed he is heir apparent to 2014 Tour de France winner and Italian compatriot Vincenzo Nibali.

Aru won the 160.5km fifth stage at La Planche des Belles Filles by 16 seconds from Ireland’s Dan Martin to move up to third overall.

It was on that same climb in 2014 that Nibali tasted victory before going on to win the Tour title.

As with Nibali three years ago, Aru did so while wearing the Italian national champion’s jersey.

“I’d never climbed it before but of course I saw that last climb on the internet when Chris [Froome] won in 2012 and Nibali in 2014, so that’s why I decided to attack with 3km to go,” said Aru.

Back in 2014, Nibali had no peers as Froome – who now leads the Tour after finishing third – and Alberto Contador had both crashed out of the race. So Aru’s achievement was even more impressive as it was gleaned against all the best climbers in the world.

But he didn’t want to get carried away, especially after his experience last year when he had a disastrous penultimate stage, dropping from sixth overall to 13th.

“That penultimate stage last year was worse than being cut by a knife,” said Aru. “But I learnt a lot from it and promised myself I’d come back as soon as possible to the Tour because I love the Tour.”

He attacked with 2.4km left of the stage that started in Vittel, and quickly opened up a winning gap.

Time and again, Aru kicked on with determination to consolidate his advantage, also riding into the polkadot king of the mountains jersey. First Froome 1.7km out and then Richie Porte in the final kilometre counter-attacked but it was Ireland’s Martin who took second place to move up to fourth overall at 25sec.

Briton Froome rolled over the line in third at 20sec, just ahead of Porte, to take the race leader’s yellow jersey off his compatriot and teammate Geraint Thomas, who drops to second, although at the same 12sec gap that he previously enjoyed.

Aru, though, is now just 14sec back and Froome said he and his Sky team-mates would not be able to take their eyes off the Sardinian again. Nairo Quintana was the biggest loser of the day, coming in 14sec behind Froome, leaving him ninth overall at 54sec.

But with the top 10 separated by a second over one minute, the race is now truly on.

An eight-man breakaway took off early in the stage and built up a lead of three and a half minutes.

But with Sky reluctant to chase them down, BMC decided to take over pace-setting duties, in the hope of setting up Porte for the stage win and the time bonus that would offer.

With just over 13km left Philippe Gilbert attacked and only Jan Bakelants could respond.

When they reached the foot of the climb they had a lead of less than a minute over the peloton. They held on for almost 2km more, but with 4km to ride it was over. — AFP