The flat 183-kilometre stage from Gap to Privas was largely uneventful with no breakaway forming during the day’s racing.

The drama came in the closing kilometres and post-stage.

Team Sunweb took charge of the final three kilometres as they attempted to deliver their sprinter Cees Bol to victory.

The Dutchman was challenged by Van Aert, who had been freed from supporting Jumbo-Visma’s general classification contenders Primož Roglič and Tom Dumoulin.

Van Aert was able to come past Bol in the final metres to secure victory in a time of 4 hours, 21min and 22sec, adding to his stage win in 2019.

The victory continued the 25-year-old’s impressive set of results in the coronavirus impacted season, following victories at Milan–San Remo and Strade Bianche last month.

The general classification appeared to be unchanged by the stage result, with Alaphilippe seemingly set for a fourth day in the yellow jersey.

Alaphilippe was then handed a 20-second sanction after an illegal feed within the final 20 kilometres of the stage.

“It is not the way I imagined taking the yellow jersey, I am not even sure what happened to Julian,” Yates said.

“I heard he got a time penalty for taking a feed late or something.

“If I am honest, I don’t think anyone wants to take a jersey like this.

“Tomorrow I was looking to take the jersey anyway.

“I think we will go in trying to win the stage and we will see what happens.”

Yates leads the general classification by three seconds from Roglič, with Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar seven seconds off the race lead in third.

Alaphilippe drops to 16th place following his penalty, 16 seconds off the race lead.

The sixth stage will see riders tackle a 191km hilly route from Le Teil to Mont Aigoual.