Tadej Pogacar continues Giro dominance on day of rider protests

Slovenian cycling superstar Pogacar burst to the fifth stage win - and second in a row - of his first-ever Giro to take another big step towards a third triumph at a Grand Tour.

The two-time Tour de France winner could have held his position in the peloton and still led the three-week race handsomely but he surged past Giulio Pellizzari in the final kilometre before holding five fingers aloft as he crossed the line.

Pogacar gave Pellizzari his overall leader's pink jersey as the pair embraced at the end of a tumultuous stage which was overshadowed by a revolt against race organisers RCS.

Riders were supposed to begin a 202-kilometre mountain stage between Livigno and Santa Cristina Val Gardena at 11:20 am but plans were changed after hours of discussion, confusion and anger within the peloton and the race began at 2:30 pm.

The stage was twice shortened and eventually began in Laas, 118km from the finish, due to the hazardous conditions after a rider revolt against organisers who pushed for a full day's racing.

"The day started really on and off and we didn't know what to do but once we started racing it was fine," said Pogacar.

"At first since yesterday was just thinking to be safe today... in the end it was good for us and also I think good for the people, good for everybody. I think we should be happy given the circumstances."

The day was certainly a good one for Pogacar as he leads Daniel Martinez by seven minutes and 18 seconds in the overall standings and also leads in the mountains classification after two straight summit victories.

However, at one point it looked like the day's stage might not even begin as dreadful weather peppered the original start line in Livigno.