Mads Pedersen delivered a powerful sprint to win stage 13 of the Giro d’Italia, claiming his fourth victory of the race in a tightly contested uphill finish. The Danish rider edged out Wout van Aert in the closing metres of the 180km stage from Rovigo to Vicenza, while race leader Isaac del Toro extended his overall lead by securing third place.
As the peloton approached the final climb into Vicenza, tension mounted during a fast-paced finish. Pedersen was sitting in fourth position when he launched his sprint. Choosing to surge early on the right side near the barriers, he managed to hold off Van Aert’s late surge, crossing the line less than a bike length ahead. The win added another 50 points to Pedersen’s tally in the sprinters’ classification, strengthening his grip on the maglia ciclamino.
Pedersen described the finale as instinct-driven, highlighting the physical toll of the stage and the importance of course familiarity. Despite opening his sprint earlier than he had planned, the decision paid off. The result underlined his consistency and resilience in a Giro that has already been hugely successful for the Dane.
While Pedersen and Van Aert stole the headlines at the finish, Isaac del Toro quietly continued to strengthen his grip on the maglia rosa. The 21-year-old extended his lead in the general classification by earning bonus seconds at the intermediate sprint and finishing just two seconds behind the stage winner. Although he lacked the explosive power to match the pure sprinters at the line, his third-place finish reflected strategic racing and strong form.
The stage featured several failed breakaway attempts, with one of the most threatening coming near the end. Romain Bardet launched an attack on a twisting downhill section, joined by Mathias Vacek. The duo opened up a 17-second gap with four kilometres remaining, raising hopes of a late-stage upset. However, their lead was trimmed to just 10 seconds with two kilometres left, and they were reeled in on the final climb by a determined peloton led by Alpecin-Deceuninck.
The tactical move had been part of a broader strategy, with Lidl-Trek trying to create multiple opportunities for success. Pedersen noted that had the peloton hesitated, Bardet and Vacek might have managed to hold their advantage. Instead, the aggressive pace from the chasing teams nullified the break, setting the stage for the sprint showdown.
After nearly four hours of racing, the stage concluded with Pedersen victorious, Van Aert narrowly missing out once again, and Del Toro consolidating his position at the top of the general classification. The young Mexican now leads his UAE Team Emirates teammate Juan Ayuso by 38 seconds, with Antonio Tiberi of Bahrain Victorious in third, 1 minute 18 seconds back. Britain’s Simon Yates sits just two seconds behind Tiberi, rounding out a tightly packed group of contenders heading into the next stages.
With 13 stages completed and more mountains looming, the Giro continues to deliver drama and intensity. Pedersen’s win, Van Aert’s near-miss, and Del Toro’s composed ride all add further intrigue to a race that is shaping up to be one of the most memorable in recent years.
