Paris (AFP) - Portuguese rider Joao Almeida won the fifth stage of the Tour of Catalonia on Thursday ahead of Nairo Quintana, who took the overall race lead.
Almeida, a Portuguese rider with Team Emirates, and two Colombians, Quintana of Arkea Samsic and Sergio Higuita of Bora escaped on the final climb to La Seu d'Urgell.
All three finished with the same time as Almeida who won the sprint to the line.
Quintana took the race lead even though Almeida has the same provisional total time.Quintana is ahead because of his better finishing places so far.
Higuita is third overall at six seconds
The overnight leader, Australian Ben O'Connor, was dropped with 1.7 kilometres to go and lost 23 seconds.The AG2R rider fell to fourth, 16 seconds back.
On Friday, the fifth stage returns to the plains in Spain for a 206-kilometre ride from La Pobla de Segur to Vilanova i la Geltru.
