Giro 2026, at Ganna’s house Bettiol wins: abysmal gap for the peloton but doesn’t change the pink jersey
Alberto Bettiol won the thirteenth stage of the Giro d’Italia 2026, which took the Carovana rosa from Alessandria to Verbania at the end of a 189-kilometer-long route characterized by a couple of interesting climbs in the last 25 kilometers. The rider from Castelfiorentino, in force for the XDS Astana Team, took part in a long breakaway involving fifteen riders, finding the right action in the finale: for him a solo arms-up finish, with 26″ advantage over Andreas Leknessund (Uno X-Mobility), second at the finish line.
Closing out the day’s podium, regulating the small group of breakaways left behind after the last climb, was Belgian Jasper Stuyven of Soudal-Quick Step, who finished 44″ together with Michael Valgren (EF Education-Easy Post), Mark Donovan (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) and Josh Kench (Groupama-FDJ United). Also in the Top 10, in eighth place, was another Italian: he was Francesco Busatto of Alpecin-Premier Tech, who finished in the small group 1’35” behind the winner.
The pink jersey group finished 13’06” behind Bettiol but today’s action cannot be considered as the classic “breakaway bidon,” as it did not alter the balance of the general classification at all: Alfonso Eulalio of Bahrain Victorious remains in the pink jersey with 33″ over Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) and 2’03” over Thymen Arensman (Netcompany Ineos), while the best of the Italians remains Giulio Pellizzari of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, ninth at 3’42”.
Today’s stage was also eagerly awaited because it arrived at Filippo Ganna’s home, but the winner of the Massa time trial remained rather defiladed, finishing in fifty-fourth position at 16’50” from Bettiol, who instead took the satisfaction of winning his second personal stage at the Giro d’Italia after the one in Stradella in 2021.
If the big boys “relaxed” today, they will instead have to deal with one of the most challenging stages of the 2026 Giro on Saturday, 133 kilometers from Aosta to Pila (Gressan). Five climbs are scheduled: Saint-Barthelemy (first category, 15.8 kilometers at 6.5 percent), Doues (third category), Lin Noir (first category, 7.4 kilometers at 7.9 percent), Verogne (second category, 5.6 kilometers at 6.9 percent) and finally the climb to the finish, valid as a first-category GPM, with 16.5 kilometers to be climbed at an average gradient of 7.1 percent, with peaks of 11 percent).
