Even Groves couldn’t avoid the numerous crashes on the 171km route from Atripalda to Salerno, but he picked himself up with 7km to go for a sensational victory.

Others weren’t so lucky. Favourite Remco Evenepoel was almost taken out of the race by a stray dog and Britain’s Mark Cavendish slid across the finish line on his backside to take fifth place.

Evenepoel, who lost the leader’s pink jersey on Tuesday, hit the deck twice on a bruising day for the world champion. First when a stray dog almost ran into the peloton, then inside the final three kilometres in what proved to be a dangerous finish.

That second fall for the Belgian came in one of three crashes to hit the peloton in the final seven kilometres of the stage from Atripalda to Salerno.

Evenepoel’s main rival, Primoz Roglic, and the race leader, Andreas Leknessund, were among those held up when several riders fell as they turned on to the seafront seven kilometres from the finish.

More trouble followed and Evenepoel was taken out when several riders went down again with a little over 1500 metres remaining.

That left a reduced sprint up front but there was still more drama to come.

Cavendish’s wheel slipped when he launched his move, but as he struggled to stay upright he nudged first into Alberto Dainese, then Filippo Fiorelli against the barriers, before going down sliding across the line for one of the stranger top-fives of his career.

Cavendish then hit Andrea Vendrame after crossing the line and the Italian was carried away on a stretcher.

Out in front, Groves, 24, had the power to hold off Jonathan Milan for his first Giro victory.

“I surprised myself today. Everything was going well until I crashed at the roundabout seven kilometres to go,” the Australian said.

“I put my chain back on fast enough and the groups came back together. It wasn’t very clean, we lost each other but luckily enough I was in position behind DSM and I had the legs to win.

“It’s a dream to win, this is a race I’ve been focusing on since November or December... After two third places this week, they (the team) delivered me to a win.”

Victory for Groves on a wet, dismal day in Italy followed two third-placed finishes for the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider this week and a stage win for fellow Australian Michael Matthews.

The stage had begun in horrible conditions in southern Italy, compounded when a dog ran into the road a little over 20km in.

Davide Ballerini tried to take evasive action but fell in slippery conditions, with Evenepoel going down behind him.

Evenepoel was slow to get up but eventually offered a thumbs up to a camera bike. But his good mood had evaporated by the finish as he cut a frustrated figure rolling over the line.

Thursday’s 162km sixth stage starts and finishes in Naples after going through Sorrento and along the Amalfi coast.

The Giro ends in Rome on May 28.

Stage and general classifications after Wednesday’s fifth stage in the Giro d’Italia, the 171km run from Atripalda to Salerno in Campania.

Stage

1) Kaiden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in 4h30’19”

2) Jonathan Milan (Bahrain Victorious) st

3) Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) st

4) Mark Cavendish (Astana) st

5) Nicolas Della Valle (Corratec S.Italia) st

6) Mirco Maestri (Eolo-Kometa) st

7) Filippo Fiorelli (Green Project-Bardiani) st

8) Andrea Vendrame (Ag2r Citroen) st

9) Michael MATTHEWS (Jayco Alula) st

10) Niccolò Bonifazio (Intermarchè) st.

 

General Classification:

1) Andreas Leknessund in 19h06’03”

2) Remco Evenepoel at 28”

3) Aurelien Paret-Peintre at 30”

4) Joao Pedro Almeida at 1’00”

5) Primoz Roglic at 1’12”

6) Geraint Thomas at 1’26”

7) Aleksandr Vlasov at 1’26”

8) Toms Skujins at 1’29”

9) Tao Geoghegan at 1’30”

10) Vincenzo Albanese at 1’39”

ANSA