The Italian cyclist Alberto Bettiol attacked at the top of the final climb to ride solo to victory on stage 13 of the Giro d’Italia in Verbania on Friday, five years after his last stage win.

Bettiol, who also soloed to win a stage in 2021, caught Andreas Leknessund as they reached the Ungiasca summit and left the Norwegian in his wake before powering away on the descent. The Italian took a quick glance over his shoulder before raising his arms long before the line in celebration, and his girlfriend, Lisa Finetti, was there to hug him after the finish.

“Today, in theory I won already before the start because I had all my family here and my second family because, of course, my girlfriend and all her family are from Verbania,” Bettiol said.

“Having all of them, my brother, my father, my mom and all my really, really few people that have always been around me, it was already, for me, a victory. But winning like this is something I will bring forever with me.”

Uno-X Mobility’s Leknessund came in 26 seconds behind in second, with the Belgian Jasper Stuyven winning a four-rider sprint to take third for Soudal-QuickStep. Portugal’s Afonso Eulálio, competing for Bahrain Victorious, was at the head of the peloton which trailed in more than 13 minutes behind the winner, staying 33 seconds ahead of Jonas Vingegaard at the top of the general classification.

A group of 15 riders built up a healthy lead over the peloton on the 189km ride from Alessandria and, by the time the stage reached the first of two climbs with less than 25km to ride, the gap was north of 11 minutes. The breakaway stayed together on the short ascent to Bieno before the longer, steeper Ungiasca climb brought the expected attack and four riders got away.

Leknessund made his solo push, but Bettiol gave chase, and it was more frustration for the Norwegian, who also came second best to Jhonatan Narváez on stage eight. “I knew every single corner in the last 50km because sometimes I train here,” Bettiol said. “The fact that I knew the climb really helped me and that’s how I won.”

Saturday’s stage 14 should bring more of a shake-up in the general classification, with a 133km mountain stage from Aosta to Pila.