Another tricky stage so Vontobel should get their hands full defending Lanes jersey today.
Three riders form today break without any hazzle: Prades, Destribois and Dyrnes.
Dyrnes took the big points on the Cat. 2 without challenge but in the peloton things were much more exiting as Le Gac in the polkadots made an attack and was covered by Vermeltfoort, who is 2nd in that competition 8 pts behind before today.
The Dutchman gets 4 points and Le Gac is swallowed by the peloton right at the line denying him any poitns at all for his effort.
Surprisingly Vermeltfoort decides to push on in stead of dropping back.
He fairly quickly bridges the 5 minute gap to the break.
100 km and 7'32.
Both Prades and Destribois are only 4'25 behind so the peloton should probably be careful how much leash they give the quartet.
Vermeltfoort tries on the 2nd KOM but Dyrnes and Prades won't allow it and he has ultimately spent too much energy bridgin the gap to keep up. 2 points more should please him as well though as he is only 2 points short of the+O3 jersey now and with both a Cat 2 anda Cat 3 coming up shortly it's looking good for him.
Meanwhile Kenya Airways, Gazelle and Swedbank - PEAB have decided to take over from Vontobel and with 80 km to go the gap is down to 6'13
On the Cat 2 it's once again Dyrnes ahead of Prades and Vermeltfoort.
Le Gac jumps out of the peloton picking up 2 points putting him equal to Vermeltfoort before the final KOM of the day.
Dyrnes wins the final sprint as well. With Vermeltfoort on 3rd that puts those two rider on equal points.
60 km and 5'11
50 km and 3'47
40 km and 2'49
30 km and 3'04
25 km and 2'57
20 km and 2'59
Children of Chernobyl have joined the front but it seems they are content to just make sure the break doesn't mess up the GC too much.
Should the four make it it will be hard to predict. Dyrnes have been the strongest on the climbs, but Destribois haven't even tried. Either the champion of Laos haven't got the legs or he's saving up for the finale.
15 km and 2'56
The break will take the stage win.
Guess the Red Bull - Huawei rider had been saving up as he attacks on a small hill 14,5 km out and noone seems able or willing to follow.
Back in the peloton Lane is taking things in to his own hands. Kwiatkowski, Kangert and Hoogerland follows immediately.
Together they manage to create a gap.
At the 10 km mark Destribois has 20 seconds on his former breakaway companions and the yellow-jersey quartet have 22 seconds on the peloton.
With 9 km to go for the peloton we have all the team leaders attacking. With a terrain like this that amount of attacks will most likely eliminate all gaps for now.
The break is reunited just as they hit the last short but steep climb before the finish line with 3 km to go.
As the favourites hit the final hill we still have the four attackers with a small gap though Lane looks like he has to dig very deep. Machado and Boily are both in between the peloton and the quartet. All gaps are less than 20 seconds.
No one in the break felt like using the hill so it comes down to a sprint.
Prades opens at 1,4 km to go.
The entire way to goal is downhill so it might not be a bad decision
Lane have been dropped among the chasers, where Hoogerland is pushing on to gain every second possible.
500 m
It doesn't look like anyone can find the additional speed needed to pass Prades
Hoogerland with a massive sprint takes 5th place and a few extra seconds for the GC. Nazaret and Tvetcov of the top GC riders loss a bit of time on the others.
A great ride by Lane to defend his jersey.
With the small changes today we have 9 riders within a minute of the GC lead and 3 riders within 2 points in the KOM competition. Looks like we're in for some exiting days to come.
Volta a Portugal - Stage 5 
