Giro d’Italia 2024 Stage Report: The profile of stage 13 was billiard table flat and was bound to end in a sprint finish. It was a day designed for Giro d’Italia points competition leader and two-time stage winner, Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) to take his third stage in this Giro. Stanisław Aniołkowski (Cofidis) and Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious) were second and third. No change on the GC before Saturday’s time trial.
The final kilometre of stage 13
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Jonathan Milan takes his third Giro win of 2024
Jonathan Milan won the thirteenth stage in a bunch sprint in Cento. During the flat stage there were echelons and a couple breaks, but the day ended in a full on sprint battle on the streets of Cento. The Italian was the strongest of the sprinters, although he did have problems in the echelons earlier in the stage. Tadej Pogačar had no problem holding his pink jersey.
A pan-flat stage across the lowlands of Emilia Romagna. Roads are variably wide and mostly straight, with common traffic obstacles to be found in urban areas along the route. The final kilometres are essentially flat. Crossing the bridge over the Reno will be the only impediment. Some sweeping bends lead into the home straight (450 m), on 8 m wide tarmac.
Stage 12 winner – Julian ‘Loulou’ Alaphilippe
The flat route didn’t promise much early action, but as soon as the flag dropped, three riders jumped away: Manuele Tarozzi and Alessandro Tonelli, both of VF Group Bardiani-CSF Faizanè and Andrea Pietrobon of, it had to be, Polti Kometa. The three Italians set a good pace and quickly had a lead of 3 minutes. In the peloton the riders were happy to chat and wave to the camera and the speed dropped to around 25kph. Eventually a few teams put men on the front of the peloton.
Another stage win for Jonathan Milan?
Three minutes was the biggest lead they ever had, the sprinter’s teams started their work. Alpecin-Deceuninck and Soudal Quick-Step put riders on the front of the peloton, causing the lead to fluctuate between two and two and a half minutes. The race settled down to follow this pattern for quite a while. Andrea Pietrobon consolidated his leading position for the most kilometres in a break. In the 1st, 5th and 9th stages, he had ridden 376 kilometres off the front. Today he was able to add more kilometres and also won the first intermediate sprint. The Italian was now in the top 5 of the points classification (virtually). Behind in the peloton, Jonathan Milan added to his lead in the points competition by winning the sprint ahead of Filippo Fiorelli and Kaden Groves.
Before the start, guitarist Giulio Maceroni performed a rock version of the Italian National Anthem
Lidl-Trek had also taken control in the peloton and the lead fell to 2 minutes, but apart from that nothing changed. Next up was the second intermediate sprint. In the peloton, Jonathan Milan missed out on the sprint and it was Kaden Groves who was first over the line in the peloton. Filippo Fiorelli was on his wheel.
Tadej Pogačar will be looking forward to an easy day before Saturday’s stage 14 time trial
Sixty kilometres from the finish INEOS Grenadiers put Filippo Ganna on the front, this split the peloton into two parts, Jonathan Milan had missed the move. The sprinter tried to cross on his own, but was pulled back by the second group. Due to the work by INEOS Grenadiers, with the help of UAE Team Emirates and BORA-hansgrohe, the lead fell to 40 seconds.
The peloton leaving Riccione for 179 flat kilometres to Cento
Bahrain-Victorious’ Andrea Pasqualon giving Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers) a tow
The men of Lidl-Trek continued to fight to bring their leader and favourite for the stage victory back to the front of the race. The gap remained around 10 to 15 seconds for a long time, as no other team really wanted to help. After a lot of hard work, the second group managed to connect. During all this, the three in the escape were reeled in.
It wouldn’t be a break without a Polti Kometa rider
You can’t get enough pink and purple it seems
Martin Marcellusi (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè) and Dries De Pooter (Intermarché-Wanty) decided it was good time to try for an escape. They never really got a big lead, thanks to the sprinter’s teams. There was a crash involving David Dekker, Nario Quintana, Will Barta and Ewen Costiou and others, but everyone was able to continue.
Alessandro Tonelli & Manuele Tarozzi (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane’) and Andrea Pietrobon (Polti Kometa)
A late attack form Martin Marcellusi and Dries De Pooter couldn’t come to much
In the final kilometres the two escapees were caught and the sprint-trains could form. Once they were in the twisty part of the final, there was a battle for the best positions. In the sprint it was Jonathan Milan who was the fastest again, after Fernando Gaviria (Movistar) had gone for a long effort. A mighty sprint brought the Italian across the line first, for his third stage win in this Giro.
There was only going to be one winner
Stage winner and points leader, Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek): “It feels great to win a third stage but there was a moment in which I was at the back of the peloton and echelons were formed. I’ll say it again: our guys did an amazing job to bring us back together. After that we stayed in the first positions of the peloton and I was delivered in perfect position before the sprint. Simone Consonni started his lead out from 400 metres to go. It’s impressive how everyone on the team was committed to the sprint finish. I’m super happy and proud of my team.”
Jonathan Milan is a ‘Sprint Giant’
Maglia Rosa and KOM; Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates): “So far, something happened in every stage of the Giro d’Italia and today was no exception. It was flat but with some twisty roads and a little bit of wind, Ineos tried to do something but we were there with the team and there was not enough crosswind. It was more of a headwind. They have a strong team to do that. If I was them, I’d also try something like that. It was worth trying. Tomorrow I hope to have the same feelings as in the last TT and finish very strongly. Then we’ll have the queen stage on Sunday and it will be a nice day.”
Tadej Pogačar ready for the TT
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Giro d’Italia Stage 13 Result:
1. Jonathan Milan (Ita) Lidl-Trek in 4:02:03
2. Stanisław Aniołkowski (Pol) Cofidis
3. Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Bahrain-Victorious
4. Tim van Dijke (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike
5. Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Israel-Premier Tech
6. Fernando Gaviria (Col) Movistar
7. Juan Sebastián Molano (Col) UAE Team Emirates
8. Laurence Pithie (NZ) Groupama-FDJ
9. Giovanni Lonardi (Ita) Polti Kometa
10. Alberto Dainese (Ita) Tudor.
Giro d’Italia Overall After Stage 13:
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates in 49:24:38
2. Daniel Felipe Martínez (Col) BORA-hansgrohe at 2:40
3. Geraint Thomas (GB) INEOS Grenadiers 2:56
4. Ben O’Connor (Aus) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale at 3:39
5. Antonio Tiberi (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious at 4:27
6. Romain Bardet (Fra) dsm-firmenich PostNL at 4:57
7. Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan at 5:19
8. Filippo Zana (Ita) Jayco AlUla at 5:23
9. Einer Rubio (Col) Movistar at 5:28
10. Thymen Arensman (Ned) INEOS Grenadiers at 5:52.
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