Sam Bennett of An Post Chain Reactions won the fifth stage of the Tour Of Britain.
The riders stayed in Wales for the fifth stage which left Hoel Maengwyn in Machynlleth at 11am and included Skoda King Of The Mountains climbs at Cwm Owen (83.3km) Brecon Beacons (116.3km) Caerphilly Mountain (164.7 & 172.2km) and Yodel Direct Sprints at Newbridge (68.5km) Libanus (109km) & Ystrad Mynach (115.5km) on its way to Caerphilly Castle at the foot of Caerphilly Mountain.
This 177.1km stage started with an attack from KOM leader Angel Madrazo of Movistar who was joined by Rathe (GRS), Pirazzi (BAR), and Pete Williams of IGS, who won the sprints competition in last year's race.
They took a 3.20 lead over the peloton which included race leader Sir Bradley Wiggins and birthday boy Gerald Ciolek before Pete Williams was first at the sprint at Newbridge ahead of Rathe, Pirazzi and Madrazo, who as expected took the ten points on the Category One climb at Cwm Owen ahead of Williams, Rathe, Pirazzi, Downey, Eisel, Hayman, Stannard, Lopez and Wiggins.
With 71.5kms to go, their lead was at 1.53 before the Breacon Beacon climb which Madrazo took the points from Williams, Rathe, Pirazzi, Downey, Pardilla, Eisel, Hayman, Stannard and Wiggins.
Pete Williams took the second sprint from Jacob Rathe, Stefano Pirazzi and Madrazo as the sun came out to warm those who had been stood for hours awaiting the escapers and 2.30 later the peloton.
With 39kms to go, Williams was dropped and Rathe, Pirazzi and Madrazo, who had now taken over as the leader in the got ownership of the Yodel Direct Sprint jersey competition, carried on with a 2.42 lead.
Team Sky continued to control things on the front of the peloton and they had reduced the trio's lead to 1.15 with 25kms to go.
With the lead down to fourteen seconds, Rathe, Pirazzi and Madrazo decided to attack each other.
Pirazzi was on the front as they started on the first of two Caerphilly Mountain climbs but the escapers day was over and Nairo Quintana and Bongiorno (Bardiani) came to the fore.
Amid huge crowds and the usual idiots who want to get themselves on television, It was Quintana who beat Bongiorno over the top, as a small group of riders which included Bradley Wiggins were clear of the peloton.
With 9.5kms to go, a Sojasun rider in David Le Lay shot out of the peloton, passed the chasing group on the left and then blitzed past Quintana and Bongiorno.
Le Lay had an eight second lead but with 5.8kms, Garmin's Dan Martin stormed up Caerphilly Mountain before he was joined on the summit by Quintana and Pardilla of MTN Qhubka.
They had a fifteen seconds on Wiggins who was sitting on the wheel of Ian Stannard with 2.8kms to go. Martin and co were brought back as attacks continued under the flam rouge of a group of about fifteen riders with no main sprinters.
Tipparary's Sam Bennett of An Post Chain Reactions got the best line and took the win in 4.35.28 ahead og Golas, Elmiger, Le Lay and Bauer. Wiggins was seventh with Stannard ninth.
Sir Bradley Wiggins keeps his leader's jersey for another day.