Alberto Bettiol wins Giro stage 13

Alberto Bettiol won Giro d’Italia stage 13 on Friday, May 22, after attacking from the breakaway on the final climb and riding alone into Verbania. The XDS Astana rider covered the stage in 3:51:33, according to the Giro d’Italia’s official results, with Andreas Leknessund second at 26 seconds and Jasper Stuyven third at 44 seconds. Afonso Eulálio kept the Maglia Rosa after the stage and remained the overall leader for a ninth day. The Giro’s official site listed Eulálio as the pink-jersey holder after stage 13, while race trackers showed the general classification unchanged at the top heading into the mountains. ### How did Bettiol win the stage? Bettiol made his move with 13 kilometers left, according to Cyclingnews’ race report, after the day’s breakaway survived long enough to contest the finish. (giroditalia.it) The official Giro live page described him catching Andreas Leknessund and accelerating again before opening a gap on the run-in to Verbania. Verbania was a familiar finish for Bettiol, and the official Giro site framed the win as a home-soil success for the Italian. (giroditalia.it) The stage itself was billed as flat for roughly 160 kilometers before turning more selective in the final 30 kilometers, where most of the climbing was concentrated. ### What did stage 13 change in the overall race? Eulálio’s position at the top survived intact on a day built more for attackers than for the main contenders. (cyclingnews.com) The official classifications after stage 13 still showed the Bahrain Victorious rider in pink, with Jonas Vingegaard also retaining the blue mountains jersey and Eulálio holding the white young-rider jersey. (giroditalia.it) ProCyclingStats’ stage-leaders page shows Eulálio first took the race lead after stage 5 and had kept it through stage 12, which aligns with the Giro’s stage-13 classification showing him still in pink. That places him at nine days in the race lead after Friday’s finish. ### Why was this a breakaway day instead of a GC showdown? (giroditalia.it) Stage 13’s route from Alessandria to Verbania offered a late sting rather than a summit finish, and that often gives non-contenders room if the peloton hesitates. The Giro’s official preview described a mostly flat route before the more demanding final 30 kilometers, and Cyclingnews reported that the reduced peloton did not launch decisive attacks behind Bettiol in the closing phase. (procyclingstats.com) The result left the main general-classification battle unresolved rather than settled. Cyclingnews’ broader race page said the focus was already shifting to the mountains, where the race leaders were expected to face a more direct test. ### Why is stage 14 getting so much attention? Stage 14 on Saturday, May 23, runs 133 kilometers from Aosta to Pila (Gressan) and finishes atop a climb, according to Cyclingnews’ preview. (giroditalia.it) The same preview cast the stage as a chance for Jonas Vingegaard to try to take the Maglia Rosa from Eulálio. (cyclingnews.com) Cyclingnews and other race coverage have also flagged concern over Vingegaard’s illness before the first major mountain test. The official Giro site and race listings identify stage 14 as the next key appointment in a race that runs through May 31 in Rome. ### What should readers watch next? Saturday’s stage to Pila is the next clear marker for the general classification because it brings another mountaintop finish and a shorter, harder route. (cyclingnews.com) Eulálio starts the day in pink, Vingegaard remains the most prominent immediate threat, and Bettiol’s stage win leaves the breakaway specialists with their result before the climbers take over again.