Vincenzo Nibali won the Tirreno-Adriactico Stage Five this afternoon.
Martinez of Euskatel was involved in the main break of the day on the 196km long stage from Martinsicuro to Prati di Tivo.
Race leader Chris Horner, (pictured below), the oldest man in the race at 40 years old was safely in the peloton which today saw 171 riders start.
With ten kilometres to go and snow on the hills, the escapers day at the front was all over. A group of about thirty riders (minus any Team Sky and BMC riders) took to the front.
AG2R Rinoldo Nocentini got away as riders behind him including Horner tried to attack.
Vincenzo Nibali then went away with 3.7kms to go as Pierre Tirralongo set the pace for the chasing group.
Liquigas' Niblali who was 34 seconds behind Horner started to pull away. He was 25 seconds ahead with 1.6km to go and he kept his lead to win in a time of 5;46:33 in an average speed of 33.9kmph.
Horner who came in third behind Roman Kreuiziger and the chasing pack came in seventeen seconds behind meaning that the American keeps his blue jersey for another day.
Tomorrow's penultimate stage is 181kms around Offida before the race ends with an individual time trial on Tuesday in San Benedetto del Tronto.
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM