Fifth stage is rather flat but with a few bumps near the end. The finish is atop the infamous Seskin Hill near Carrick-on-Suir in what should be an exciting finale. Chaoufi and the others need to punch the pedals here if they want to get the yellow jersey off the emerging figure of Marco Minnard.
Only on rider got away today. Rohan Dennis is the lone wolf in front.
Meanwhile all seven Gazelle riders are at the front of the pack keeping Dennis at a leash.
Not a whole lot happens from here on so we fast forward to the 3rd category hill about 35 kilometres from the finish. Throughout the stage Dennis never got more than three minutes.
Hadi attacks out of the peloton near the top. Dennis has already taken the six points at the top but if Hadi can take second place he has tied Pirazzi's lead in the KoM competition.
Some clever racing from Mobil - Castrol here though as they send out two riders to take the points. Criel takes 2nd ahead of Honkisz. Mora is also there.
The four of them quickly get a substantial gap over the peloton. Dennis is 1'26 up the road.
Rohan Dennis is putting on a great ride here though. After around 140 kilometres alone with 20 to go he leads the chasers by 41 seconds with the pack another 2'26 behind. Seems like they won't chase the escapees down.
Criel and Mora are doing the hard work in the four-man group. Honkisz and Hadi are not really working.
Behind it's Gazelle at the front put they are not really putting the hammer down as they are 2'48 behind the Mobil - Castrol Group and another 20" behind Dennis. Honkisz is the best-placed rider up front at 3'57 so he and the others for that matter could be looking at a very nice GC improvement today.
The gap to the Mobil - Castrol Group tops at 2'51 though as Kenya Airways has had enough!
5 kilometres to go and Dennis is still out in front by 31 seconds! He's putting on an inspiring ride here. Cooperation in the group behind is not at its best and Dennis is definitely taking the advantage!
1,700 metres and he has hit Seskin Hill his gap is out to 34 seconds but can he hold them off on this steep climb?
In a matter of a few hundred metres the gap is closed. Dennis tries to accelerate as the four riders catch up! 1,400 metres to go!
1,100 metres to go now as Honkisz bursts into the lead! Mora and Criel are trying to go with him but they have spent much more energy in the flat than the Credexbank rider.
And he takes a tactically masterful win atop Seskin Hill here! Mora in 2nd at 12 seconds, Criel in 3rd at 22 seconds, Hadi 4th at 59 seconds and a very nice 5th place for Dennis.
Daspuntsag leads the peloton in at 1'48, so a big leap forward for Honkisz today.
But what is this! There's a split in the pack. Ilias leads in the second bunch, but there's more Top 10 riders in there!
Are all in there! They will all except Pirazzi stay in the Top 10 though, but Vorganov who was alert in the finale leaps forward to 2nd place after today. Honkisz is up to 5th! Also Hadi's 4th place today means that he takes the KoM jersey.
