Alberto Bettiol crested the Ungiasca climb alone, thirteen kilometres from Verbania, and turned a breakaway into a solo procession. The 32-year-old caught Norwegian champion Andreas Leknessund on the closing hill, then used his knowledge of the local roads to race away to a 20-second advantage, which he defended all the way to the line. Stage 13 of the Giro d'Italia, from Alessandria to Verbania over 189 kilometres, belonged to a rider who does not win often, but who chose his day.
How the stage was decided
The northern run across Piedmont was flat for the opening 160 kilometres, before the hills of Bieno and the Ungiasca, the latter lying 13km from the finish, were left to decide the day's winner. A fifteen-rider move went clear and was granted room; on the flat Po Valley roads, the break's advantage grew towards eleven minutes as they reached the final 40 kilometres. The race, in truth, was a private contest among the leaders.
It ignited on the Ungiasca. Josh Kench made his move 2.5km from the top, on the steepest slopes of the hill, with Bettiol, Michael Valgren and Leknessund on his wheel. The Norwegian attacked a kilometre further up, and Bettiol gave chase alone, gradually reeling him in as they neared the top. He made the catch before the summit, accelerating around the outside of one of the final bends, and Leknessund had no answer. Flying down the descent, the Italian swiftly pulled out a 20-second lead, then held enough power for the flat final six kilometres. Leknessund took second at 26 seconds, with Jasper Stuyven leading home the chase for third at 44 seconds. The stage was run off at an average of 48.456kph, the 11th quickest in the history of the Giro d'Italia.
A win chosen with care
The setting mattered as much as the result. "I knew every single corner in the last 50km because I train here sometimes," Bettiol said after the win, adding that he had studied the climb by bike and motorbike and watched footage of the descent. Verbania is family ground. "My girlfriend and all her family are from Verbania, so I consider Verbania my second home," he told reporters, with his brother, father and mother at the finish.
This was the second Giro stage of Bettiol's career. The first came from a breakaway to Stradella in 2021, and the Verbania win was the ninth victory of a career that also holds the Tour of Flanders, Milano-Torino and an Italian national title. "I don't win much," he reflected, "but I've won the most beautiful race in the world." He does not accumulate victories. He collects moments.
Afterwards, he gave the day away. Bettiol dedicated the win to Marcello Massini, a youth directeur sportif in Tuscany who died on May 9, and whom he had managed to speak with before the Giro. A rider on home roads, winning for someone no longer there.
