Pieter Weening raced solo from 10 kilometres out to win the fifth stage of the Giro d’Italia and take the pink jersey.

The Rabobank rider finished the 191-kilometre (118-mile) stage from Piombino to Orvieto yesterday in 4 hours, 54 minutes, 49 seconds.

He overtakes David Millar at the top of the overall classification after the Briton faded on the final climb and finished 2 minutes, 50 seconds behind.

Millar had earlier fallen following a collision with Angel Vicioso, but both riders quickly remounted and got back in the race.

Weening finished eight seconds ahead of Fabio Duarte, who led home a sprint for second place with Jose Perez third.

“For me this is a perfect day,” Weening said. “I felt good at the end and before I attacked. This is the biggest win in my career and I will try to defend the pink jersey as long as I can. Now I hope to fly for the next two weeks.”

Three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador was seventh to sit ninth overall, 30 seconds behind Weening.

Dutch rider Tom Slagter fell more than 13 kilometres from the end when he tried to take a water bottle from a team masseur. He immediately received attention and stayed conscious.