Stage 13 of the Giro d’Italia delivered a textbook breakaway battle that ended with a local rider flexing his intimate course knowledge. Alberto Bettiol claimed his first victory for XDS Astana, securing the squad’s third stage win of the race with a flawless tactical execution into Verbania.
Operating within a 15-rider escape group, the Italian waited patiently until the final climb. When Uno-X’s Andreas Leknessund launched a sharp acceleration, Bettiol was the only rider to react. He clawed his way up to the Norwegian near the summit and immediately launched a brutal counterattack. Gaining a slim margin over the top, Bettiol threw himself down the descent. He regularly trains on these roads, and that local advantage was painfully obvious to his chasers as he carved through the corners to secure a solo victory.
The win provided an emotional payoff for Bettiol, who crossed the line in front of his family in his adopted hometown. For the rest of the peloton, XDS Astana is becoming a persistent headache. With this latest victory, the Kazakh squad moves into the lead of the team classification, proving they are far more than just a supporting cast at this year’s Giro.
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