Briton John delivered a remarkable display of courage and endurance to capture Stage Five of the 2026 Tour de Guyane yesterday after spending much of the race in a three-man breakaway.
Despite suffering from severe back pain following a crash in Stage Three and competing on an unfamiliar bicycle, the Guyanese rider found enough strength to win a powerful sprint finish in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni.
The fifth stage, which began in Mana, covered 166 kilometres and was the longest of this year’s Tour. John, representing VC Sinnamary, joined Team 74 riders Antoine Grand and Baptiste Derouault in an ambitious early breakaway that caught the peloton off guard.
Grand led the move during its early stages, while John and Derouault stayed with him as the trio built and maintained their advantage over the main field.
The decisive action began with 15 kilometres remaining when Grand attempted to ride away from his two companions. The attack was quickly covered, leaving the three riders together for the final approach to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni.
John then produced the strongest finish, outsprinting Grand and Derouault to complete an impressive victory under difficult physical and mechanical circumstances.
The result continued an exciting opening five stages of the Tour. Rutger Wouters won Stage One after a solo breakaway, Paul Daumont took Stage Three and Mario Jandia claimed Stage Four ahead of Owan Nubul. John is the latest rider to join the winners’ list.
Attention will now turn to today’s demanding Stage Six double-header, which is expected to have a major impact on the battle for the overall title.
The morning section will feature a 101.69-kilometre road race from Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni to Mana. Later in the day, the riders will compete individually against the clock over 12.07 kilometres from Awala to Yalimapo.
With little separating the leading contenders in the general classification, performances across the two sections could determine who remains in contention heading into the closing stages.
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