Giro d'Italia, Bettiol wins in Verbania. Eulalio stays in pink but the Alps arrive

A perfect day. The almost summer sun, Lake Maggiore in a shimmering blue, the Alps in the background providing a splendid backdrop. Alberto Bettiol, winner of this 13th stage (Alessandria-Verbania of 189 km) of the Giro d'Italia, could not have chosen a better day to return to success after a somewhat dull period that had taken his smile away.

In fact, Alberto had not won for two years, since the tricolour jersey won in Sesto Fiorentino, in his native Tuscany. Here in Verbania, he collects his ninth career success, with one more resounding than the others: that Tour of Flanders in 2019, on the cobbled walls, which had projected him into his right dimension, that of a good champion, who, however, when it is appropriate, also sacrifices himself for others, as he did in recent days for Ulissi and Scaroni.

But this time, Alberto Bettiol, 32 years old from Castelfiorentino, after a life as a median, went out on his own, working only for himself, pedalling 182 kilometres of breakaway, the last thirteen alone, launched towards the finish line. Alberto recounts it this way: 'A hundred or so metres from the top of the last climb, that of Ungiasca, which I know well because my girlfriend lives here, I sprinted to overtake the Norwegian Leknessund. I knew it was a dry ramp, I gave it a go and then, as I entered the descent, I realised it was done, that there was no one behind. It's great to win like that. Ours is a tough profession, which distances you from others. You live a long time away from friends, family, and you can no longer enjoy happy moments like this. But when you do, it is an infinite joy.

A beautiful story of Alberto Bettiol, brave captain of Astana, the team that had already won a stage with our Davide Ballerini. After a long fast, the Italian riders at this Giro are finally starting to make their presence felt. This is the third Italian success, after that of Ballerini in Naples and of Pippo Ganna in the super time trial in Massa.

A fine success in a stage, this one in Verbania, where the big boys took their time, immediately letting go a long breakaway of some fifteen riders. An almost relaxing day before the arrival in the Alps. The group arrived after 13 minutes from Bettiol with Damiano Caruso in the front group ahead of his team mate, the pink jersey, Afonso Eulalio, the Portuguese rider who has been leader of the classification for more than a week, without being a gatecrasher. But now the truce is over. This Saturday, 23 May, the classification men will do battle in one of the most important stages of the Giro, the 133-kilometre Aosta-Pila. The finish is uphill, with a final stretch of 16 kilometres with gradients of around 10 per cent. If Vingegaard really wants to win the Giro, he must strike now. Otherwise there is something wrong.