Attacks and excitement lit up Stage 5 of the 2026 Giro Next Gen, which unfolded around the stunning Campi Flegrei circuit in Bacoli. In the end, it was the immensely talented Matisse Van Kerckhove (Visma | Lease a Bike Development), one of the pre-race favourites, who came out on top. The Belgian outsprinted a valiant Nicolò Arrighetti (General Store-Essegibi-F.lli Curia), fresh from the day’s breakaway, in a two-man sprint and also claimed the Maglia Rosa.
Eleven seconds later, a group of around 30 riders crossed the line, with Thor Michielsen (Lidl-Trek Future Racing) edging out Aubin Sparfel (Decathlon CMA CGM Development) in the sprint for third place.
Finn sets it up, Van Kerckhove brings it home
The breakaway took little time to form on Stage 5, with Jurgen Zomermaand (Development Picnic PostNL), Nicolò Arrighetti (General Store-Essegibi-F.lli Curia), Matthew Dodd (Ineos Grenadiers Racing Academy), Sebastian Grindley (Lidl-Trek Future Racing), Jesper Stiansen (Tudor U23), Lorenzo Mottes (UC Trevigiani-Energiapura Marchiol) and Mattia Negrente (XDS Astana Development) receiving the green light already during the first of eight laps around the Bacoli circuit.
Led by Decathlon CMA CGM and Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, the peloton allowed the escapees to build an advantage of up to 2’10”. After three laps, however, the front group was reduced to six when Mottes suffered a mechanical issue and was forced to stop, eventually being caught by the bunch. Dodd dominated the mountains competition, cresting Monte di Procida first on seven of the eight occasions and collecting a total of 42 points towards the Maglia Azzurra.
The race exploded over the final three laps. Visma first sent Patryk Goszczurny up the road, but his move was neutralized when world champion Lorenzo Finn raised the pace on the penultimate ascent of the Mofete ramp. Finn’s acceleration shattered the peloton and allowed Federico Savino (Soudal Quick-Step Devo), followed by the dangerous Matisse Van Kerckhove (Visma | Lease a Bike Development), to take advantage of the confusion and bridge across to the leaders ahead of the final lap.
The world champion attacked again on the last passage over Mofete, but by the summit the leading group had regrouped, leaving eight riders at the front: Finn, Aubin Sparfel, Ramírez, Van Kerckhove, Savino, Arrighetti, Stiansen and Negrente. With all eyes fixed on Finn, Van Kerckhove seized the opportunity and launched a move before the final ascent of Monte di Procida, taking Arrighetti with him. The pair quickly opened up a 20-second gap, while Finn refused to do the work for his rivals and abandoned the chase.
Neither of the two leaders faltered on the climb, and after cresting Monte di Procida they headed towards a two-man sprint in Bacoli. There, the Belgian narrowly edged out the Bergamo rider—who had already spent 135 kilometres in the breakaway—by half a wheel. The Visma leader is proving to be a ruthless finisher this season, having already claimed overall victories at the Istrian Spring Tour, Flèche du Sud and Alpes Isère Tour, and he now pulls on the Maglia Rosa.
Tomorrow will present an entirely different challenge, with the summit finish at Subiaco–Monte Livata set to shake up the general classification once again.
