A few kilometers from the finish in Pergola, at the bottom of the descent from the Monterolo climb, Fredrik Dversnes’ adventure seemed over. The favorite group was literally 3-4 seconds away from catching him, and the Uno-X Mobility rider had already spent 200 km in the breakaway. But Dversnes kept doing what he had done throughout the entire stage: pushing on the pedals without getting discouraged or looking back. The peloton started to hesitate, study each other, and slow down, allowing Dversnes’ lead to grow back to 10 seconds. By the time the chase started the sprint, he was already celebrating at the finish line.
Stage 5 of the Tirreno Adriatico 2025, from Ascoli Piceno to Pergola, is one of those stages that reminds us that breakaways in cycling are something between an exact science and an elusive art. It’s the kind of stage that gives attackers hope, showing that trying from afar can still be a chance to win, even on the biggest stages, like the Corsa dei Due Mari. Dversnes, who broke away alongside Gal Glivar, Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Paul Ourselin (Cofidis), Dries De Bondt (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Francisco Muñoz (Polti VisitMalta), and Manuele Tarozzi (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè), was the only one to withstand the peloton’s attempt to catch up.
Of course, luck also plays a part, as in any sport and in life. If the big names had moved earlier on the Monterolo climb, or if Filippo Ganna hadn’t had a flat tire on the descent, Dversnes might never have made it alone. But the real battle in the climb only started in the last 200 meters, with an acceleration from Tom Pidcock and Juan Ayuso, and Ganna reached the finish line with a neutral Shimano bike.
Thus, a Norwegian rider celebrates once again in the Tirreno Adriatico, something that hasn’t happened since 2012, when a rising star, Edvald Boasson Hagen, took stage win in Terni. This time, it’s with a Norwegian team, Uno-X Mobility, at their first ever victory at the Race of the Two Seas. And speaking of statistics, Filippo Ganna wears the Maglia Azzurra for the 11th time in his career, moving into second place all-time. Only Roger De Vlaeminck has done better with 15.
The big names saved their legs for tomorrow, when the Frontignano climb (Ussita) will inevitably bring out the riders who want to win this competition. But first, they’ll have to drop Ganna, who today looked to be in excellent form.
