This page contains the stage podium, the race story, GC implications after the stage, and per-rider performance. Read no further if you intend to watch this stage unspoiled.
A textbook breakaway day to the shores of Lago Maggiore: a 15-rider move went clear early and was never chased. On the day's only real difficulty — back-to-back Cat-3 climbs to Bieno and Ungiasca — Alberto Bettiol launched an explosive late attack past Andreas Leknessund near the summit, opened 20 seconds, and soloed down to Verbania for his second career Giro stage win. The peloton rolled in more than 13 minutes back, so Afonso Eulálio comfortably retained the maglia rosa — his last day in pink before the Pila summit finish (stage 14) where Jonas Vingegaard takes over.
Attacks flew from the gun on the pan-flat run out of Alessandria and across the Po valley. After roughly 10 km a large move finally stuck, eventually swelling to 15 riders: Andreas Leknessund, Michael Valgren, Larry Warbasse, Diego Pablo Sevilla, Mark Donovan, Johan Jacobs, Jasper Stuyven, Alberto Bettiol, Francesco Busatto, Mikkel Bjerg, Mirco Maestri, Axel Huens, Josh Kench, Toon Aerts and Markus Hoelgaard. With no GC danger in the group, the peloton sat up and let it go — the leaders hit the finale more than 11 minutes clear.
The stage was decided on the only real terrain of the day: the consecutive Cat-3 ramps to Bieno (2.4 km at 5.7%) and Ungiasca (4.7 km at 7%), the latter cresting with 13 km to go. Groupama-FDJ, with three men up front, paced the group into the climb, smothering tactical attacks until Josh Kench lit it up on the lower slopes, immediately splitting the leaders. Over the top Leknessund counter-attacked and went solo, looking to atone for his stage-8 defeat.
But towards the summit Bettiol surged across and launched an explosive move, gapping the Norwegian by a few seconds at the crest and stretching it to 20 seconds. He flew down the technical descent — dodging potholes on the run into town — to take a clean solo win in Verbania, his second career Giro stage. Leknessund held on for second at +0:26; Jasper Stuyven won the small-group sprint for third at +0:44 ahead of Valgren and Donovan.
The peloton crossed more than 13 minutes down, so the GC was frozen. Afonso Eulálio keeps the maglia rosa for one more day — the calm before the storm, with the Pila summit finish looming on stage 14 where the pink jersey will change hands.
With the breakaway containing no GC threats and the peloton finishing 13:06 down, nothing changed at the top. Afonso Eulálio retains the maglia rosa, leading Jonas Vingegaard by +0:33, with Thymen Arensman +2:03, Felix Gall +2:30, Ben O'Connor +2:50, Jai Hindley +3:12 and Michael Storer +3:34 rounding out the leaders. This is Eulálio's last day in pink: stage 14 climbs to the Pila summit finish, where Vingegaard is expected to seize the overall lead.
Gall sat tight in the peloton on a stage that offered nothing for the GC men, conserving for the stage-14 Pila summit finish. He stayed safe in the group as it rolled home more than 13 minutes behind the breakaway. He remains 4th overall at +2:30, well placed to attack on the first true mountain test of the race.
Vingegaard rode a quiet, controlled day in the bunch, with Visma happy to let the non-threatening break contest the win. He finished in the peloton over 13 minutes down, his GC position unchanged. He sits 2nd at +0:33 behind Eulálio — and one day from taking the maglia rosa on the Pila summit finish.
The young Italian climber stayed sheltered in the peloton, saving his legs for the mountains ahead rather than chasing a breakaway day. He finished safely in the bunch with the GC contenders. He holds 9th overall at +3:42, an outsider hoping the upcoming Alpine stages reshuffle the order.