Mads Pedersen won a tight sprint to the line Wednesday in Stage 5 of the Giro d'Italia 2025 to collect his third stage win of this year's Giro and cement his overall lead.

The Danish Lidl-Trek rider was just the length of his bike ahead of Edoardo Zambanini and Tom Pidcock at the finish line of the fifth stage in the picturesque hill town of Matera.

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Of his three stage wins so far, Pedersen had to work hardest for this one after falling behind the pack. He was led by his own teammate Mathias Vacek from 2 kilometers from the finish line.

Dressed head to toe in the leader's pink, Pedersen fought his way back into contention as the route wound its way through the town where scenes for the James Bond film "No Time to Die" were shot.

Then in the final meters, he spearheaded the trio of himself, Zambanini and Pidcock.

"The last 20 kilometers were unbelievably hard, I was really suffering on that last climb," Pedersen said. "I was behind, but I knew it was still possible. But I really got tired chasing Mathias from behind. Thankfully, I still had a little bit in the tank to win the sprint."

The Dane, world champion in 2019, reflected on his three stage wins out of five, declaring: "It's more than I could ever have dreamt of. What a Giro! And what a team I have."

His latest success came hours after he announced he was staying with his American outfit until the end of his career.

He should enjoy his time in pink, as his days as overall leader are numbered.

He is in the peloton to help teammate Giulio Ciccone, Lidl-Trek's main chance of overall victory, once the race enters the mountains.

But for the moment, he is savoring his time at the top of the general classification, which he now leads by 17 seconds from Primoz Roglic (12th in the stage) and 24 seconds from Vacek.

Ciccone is 1minute, 1 second off the lead in 19th.

Thursday's sixth stage is a hilly 227-kilometer ride from Potenza to Naples.

Giro d’Italia Stage 5 Results – Top 25

1. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) – 3:27:31 (B10)
2. Edoardo Zambanini (Bahrain Victorious) – 3:27:31 (B6)
3. Thomas Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) – 3:27:31 (B4)
4. Orluis Aular (Movistar Team) – 3:27:31
5. Filippo Fiorelli (VF Group Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè) – 3:27:31
6. Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) – 3:27:31
7. Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ) – 3:27:31
8. Brandon Rivera (INEOS Grenadiers) – 3:27:31
9. Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) – 3:27:31
10. Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 3:27:31
11. Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) – 3:27:31
12. Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) – 3:27:31
13. Nicola Conci (XDS Astana Team) – 3:27:31
14. Kévin Geniets (Groupama-FDJ) – 3:27:31
15. Diego Ulissi (XDS Astana Team) – 3:27:31
16. Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) – 3:27:31
17. Andrea Vendrame (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) – 3:27:31
18. Edward Planckaert (Alpecin-Deceuninck) – 3:27:31
19. Florian Stork (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) – 3:27:31
20. Simon Yates (Team Visma – Lease a Bike) – 3:27:31
21. Derek Gee (Israel – Premier Tech) – 3:27:31
22. Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) – 3:27:31
23. Rémy Rochas (Groupama-FDJ) – 3:27:31
24. Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 3:27:31
25. Romain Bardet (Team Picnic PostNL) – 3:27:31

Giro d’Italia Overall Standings – Top 25 After Stage 5

1. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) – 15:11:52
2. Primož Roglič (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) – 15:12:09
3. Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) – 15:12:16
4. Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 15:12:23
5. Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 15:12:24
6. Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 15:12:27
7. Max Poole (Team Picnic PostNL) – 15:12:35
8. Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) – 15:12:36
9. Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) – 15:12:38
10. Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) – 15:12:42
11. Simon Yates (Team Visma – Lease a Bike) – 15:12:44
12. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 15:12:47
13. Richard Carapaz (EF Education - EasyPost) – 15:12:48
14. Thomas Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) – 15:12:49
15. Jai Hindley (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) – 15:12:50
16. Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) – 15:12:50
17. Davide Piganzoli (Team Polti VisitMalta) – 15:12:51
18. Orluis Aular (Movistar Team) – 15:12:51
19. Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) – 15:12:53
20. Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) – 15:12:59
21. Romain Bardet (Team Picnic PostNL) – 15:13:02
22. Christopher Harper (Team Jayco AlUla) – 15:13:02
23. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) – 15:13:05
24. Einer Rubio (Movistar Team) – 15:13:06
25. Rafal Majka (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 15:13:14

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