Team Discovery Channel rider Tom Danielson put on a burst of speed in the last 1 km of the race to the summit of Brasstown Bald to win Stage 5. Levi Leipheimer of Team Gerolsteiner was second. Lance Armstrong finished strongly in third place, pointing defiantly down the hill, presumably at Floyd Landis who had been the overall race leader until today.

Provisional results are as follows:

• 1. Tom Danielson (Team Discovery Channel)
• 2. Levi Leipheimer (Team Gerolsteiner), +15 seconds
• 3. Lance Armstrong (Team Discovery Channel), +1 minute, 8 seconds
• 4. Floyd Landis (Phonak Hearing Systems)
• 5. Bobby Julich (Team CSC), +1 minute, 44 seconds

Leaders in the race overall:

• Tom Danielson, General Classification
• Greg Henderson, Sprint
• Jose-Luis Rubiera, King of the Mountains
• Trent Lowe, Best Young Rider