Aviva Tour of Britain Stage 5 to Wout Poels, but Edvald Boasson Hagen takes race lead

Team Sky’s Wouter Poels has won Stage 5 of the Aviva Tour of Britain on Hartside Fell this afternoon, and lies just 1 second off the race lead, which now rests with MTN Qhubeka’s Edvald Boasson Hagen, second today.

Poels won the stage with an attack 2 kilometres from the summit of the 8.9 kilometre climb, finishing 2 seconds ahead of former team mate Boasson Hagen, who is seeking his second Tour of Britain overall victory, having won the race in 2009.

Third today was Movistar’s Benat Intxausti, 15 seconds back enabling him to move up to fourth on the General Classification, but his team mate Juan Jose Lobato loses the yellow jersey to MTN Qhubeka’s Norwegian rider.

Owain Doull of Team Wiggins remains the top placed British rider, fifth overall, 37 seconds off the race lead.

Ahead of the final climb of the 166.4 kilometre stage from Prudhoe, Ian Stannard assumed his familiar role at the front of the main group to help keep the day’s break in check.

With his team mate Elia Viviani's two victories earlier in the race, his efforts helped Sky secure its third stage win out of five.