Italian cyclist Alberto Bettiol attacked at the top of the final climb to win stage 13 of the Giro d’Italia on Friday, taking his first stage victory in five years. Portugal’s Afonso Eulalio held on to the overall lead.
Bettiol, riding for XDS Astana, caught up with Andreas Leknessund as they reached the summit of the Ungiasca climb, then dropped the Norwegian on the descent and rode away on his own to the finish. He had previously won a stage in the same fashion back in 2021.
The Italian took a quick look over his shoulder before throwing his arms up in celebration well before the finish line. His girlfriend, who is from the nearby town of Verbania, was waiting to embrace him at the end.
“Today, in theory I had already won before the race even started because all my family were here,” Bettiol said, adding that the occasion meant everything to him personally.
Leknessund finished 26 seconds back in second place, while Belgian rider Jasper Stuyven won a four-man sprint to take third.
Eulalio crossed the line with the main pack, more than 13 minutes behind the winner, but did enough to stay 33 seconds clear of Jonas Vingegaard at the top of the overall standings.
A breakaway group of 15 riders had built up a lead of over 11 minutes on the 189km stage from Alessandria. The group stayed together until the final two climbs, where attacks began to whittle it down.
Leknessund made his solo move first, but Bettiol chased him down — a bitter blow for the Norwegian, who had also been pipped on stage eight.
“I knew every single corner in the last 50km because I sometimes train here,” Bettiol said. “Knowing the climb really helped me, and that’s how I won.”
Saturday’s stage 14 is a 133km mountain stage from Aosta to Pila, which is expected to shake up the overall standings further.
