Italy’s Davide Malacarne of the QuickStep team Friday won the fifth stage of the Tour of Catalonia, a 181.2-kilometre course between Asco and Cabaces in northeastern Spain.

Spain’s Joaquim Rodriguez, who rides for Katusha, remains the overall leader of the event.

Malacarne crossed the finish line alone after starting a breakaway two kilometres into the stage along with Javier Ramirez, Andres Sergio De Lis and Gustavo Cesar Veloso.

With 27 kilometres to go, they were being caught but Malacarne stepped up the pace to win by 36sec ahead of Andreas Kloden and Luis Leon.

“This is a success I dedicate to myself, my family and the team,” said the 22-year-old.

“These last few months we’ve been working hard and now the results are paying off.”

5th stage
1. Davide Malacarne (ITA/Quick Step) 4hr 50min 03sec, 2. Andreas Kloden
(GER/RadioShack) at 36sec, 3. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/Caisse d’Epargne) 37, 4.
Michel Kreder (NED/Garmin-Transitions) s.t., 5. Rein Taaramae (EST/Cofidis) s.t., 6. Paolo Tiralongo (ITA/Astana) 40, 7. Joaquim Rodriguez (ESP/Katusha) s.t., 8. Frank Schleck (LUX/Saxo Bank) s.t., 9. Ryder Hesjedal
(CAN/Garmin-Transitions) s.t., 10. Eros Capecchi (ITA/Footon-Servetto-Fuji) s.t.

Overall standings:
1. Joaquim Rodriguez (ESP/Katusha) 18hr 38min 57sec, 2. Xavier Tondo
(ESP/Cervélo) at 10, 3. Rein Taaramae (EST/Cofidis) 43, 4. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/Caisse d’Epargne) 45, 5. Nicolas Roche (IRL/AG2R) 1:20, 6. Ryder Hesjedal
(CAN/Garmin-Transitions) s.t., 7. Michel Kreder (NED/Gramin-Transitions) 1:21,
8. Roman Kreuziger (CZE/Liquigas) 1:22, 9. Janez Brajkovic (SLO/Radishack)
1:25, 10. Rémy Di Gregorio (FRA/Française Des Jeux) 1:26.
Selected:
21. Levi Leipheimer (USA/RadioShack) 2:00, 23. Frank Schleck (LUX/Saxo
Bank) 2:14, 24. Andreas Klöden (GER/RadioShack) 2:16, 40. Ivan Basso
(ITA/Liquigas) 4:01.