Giro d'Italia 2019: Stage 13

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January 1 - June 2, Pinerolo, Italy, Road - WorldTour

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Live coverage of stage 13 of the Giro d'Italia from Pinerolo to Ceresole Reale.

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Start list
Stage 12: Benedetti wins as Polanc takes pink

Welcome back. I hope you didn't miss us too much. Anyway, after a little taster of GC fireworks yesterday, we've got a big day in store for you today. So pour yourself a brew and strap in.

Yesterday had the first major climb of the race, but today has three, including the first summit finish of the race in Ceresole Reale. Having soft-tapped it earlier in the week, there should be some fresh legs among the GC contenders. We've already seen that Mikel Landa and Miguel Angel Lopez are prepared to take the bull by the horns over the coming week and a bit, who else will join them?

This will be one of the last times that I guide you through a live race, so they best make it a good one or I'll be very disappointed. We'll find out soon enough as the riders are due to set off in around 10 minutes. 

Before we get going, a reminder of how things stand in the overall classification. Things got a proper shake up with Jan Polanc soaring to the top of the standings after getting into the breakaway. He's going to have a tough job holding onto his lead over the coming few stages. 

The fallout from Operation Aderlass has been making headlines over the last few weeks, and has impacted the Giro d'Italia too. It's highly likely that we'll be hearing a lot more about it in the coming weeks and months so we've created a handy timeline for you to keep up to date with all the latest from the Austrian police investigation. You can find it here. 

Primoz Roglic waves to the fans at sign on. He played a pretty defensive strategy yesterday, what will he do today?

The riders are out on course, navigating the short neutral zone. It won't be long before racing proper is underway. 

We will be missing at least two more riders from the peloton this morning. Jakub Marezcko is taking an early trip home after he missed the time cut yesterday, while James Knox decided to pull out after suffering with a knee injury since a crash last week. 

Of course, we want you to stick with us for the day but there are a number of other ways you can follow the Giro d'Italia - in conjunction with reading our feed - and you can find out how just here. 

Okey doke, there are two more departures to inform you of. Caleb Ewan's leadout man Roger Kluge, who was in the breakaway yesterday, and Giacomo Nizzolo have decided to call time on their Giro d'Italia. 

It has been a very aggressive start to the day and 10 kilometres have been covered in quick order. Nobody has been able to snap the elastic just yet. 

Tony Gallopin is having a go. It's his birthday today and he'll attack if he wants to. 

Trek-Segafredo are getting in on Tony's party too. They currently control the mountains classification with Gianluca Brambilla moving into the lead yesterday, while previous leader Giulio Ciccone remains in second place.

Attacks are being brought back almost as soon as they're going. The pace is high as attack after attack goes off the front. This is going to warm the legs before the riders hit the mountains. 

While we wait for something more definitive to form, why not take a look at Jan Polanc's bike. After taking the maglia rosa yesterday, his mechanics gave him a few pink additions to liven it up a bit. 

The fast start has claimed its first victim with Groupama-FDJ's Ignatas Konovalovas abandoning the race. 

We now have a three-man move off the front with Hector Carrettero, Dario Cataldo and Krists Neilands having a go. I imagine they'll be joined by some more riders or brought back. 

It seems that it is the latter. The trio are quickly absorbed by the charging peloton and another two have a go. The first climb of the day is at the 40km mark and we're fast approaching it. 

Aside from the GC battle, one of the topic of conversation after yesterday's stage was the moment that a "fan" tried to grab a bottle from the mouth of Marco Haller, after the stage. The person got put in their place quite swiftly by Haller, with some choice English swearwords. You can see the moment here, but be warned the language he uses is particularly strong. 

164km remaining from 196km

The attacks are still flying and in less than five kilometres we'll be onto the first climb of the day. 

Rojas, Vuillermoz, De Gendt and Hamilton are on the attack now with Conci chasing behind them as they approach the first climb of the day. 

Neilands is chasing with Conci. They are 18 seconds behind the four leaders with the peloton at 26 seconds back, while the sprinter group is now over a minute behind. 

A small correction, it is actually Chris Juul Jensen in the leading group for Mitchelton-Scott and not Lucas Hamilton. 

Rojas and Vuillermoz try attacking from their breakaway group on the climb but they are quickly brought back. The fast pace has been brutal and the main peloton has just 50 riders in it. 

There is a lot of action coming from the bunch now and more riders are trying to break free. This is not a done deal just yet. 

This is what the riders are tackling at the moment.

The leading group now has around 20 riders in it with Brambilla, Zakarin and Formolo among their number. The gap is still small at the moment at just 20 seconds over the maglia rosa group. 

Some extremely strong riders in this and interesting to note that Trek has both Brambilla and Ciccone in the move as well as Mollema. Movistar have three up there, while Astana also has one. Bahrain-Merida also have Antonio Nibali among the leaders. 

The gap has grown out to 1:25 for this group out front and we might well have our day's break. 

More abandons coming on this fast day with Lonardi and Renshaw stepping off the bike. 

The gap has now extended to 1:45. Here is a full list of the riders in the front group and their teams. A very interesting mix of teams indeed. Primoz Roglic did get one rider into the break in the end with Tolhoek  and Simon Yates has two. It seems that most of the major GC teams are covered. Today, UAE Team Emirates have decided to keep all of their riders in the bunch. 

Thomas De Gendt didn't look at his best on the climbs yesterday and he has been distanced slightly by the leading group. They're almost at the top and he'll be hoping to get back on when they reach the descent. 

It has been a properly quick start to the day and the attrition rate has been high. While things calm down a touch, here's a reminder of the riders that either didn't sign on this morning or abandoned during the stage so far. James Knox (Deceuninck-QuickStep), Roger Kluge (Lotto Soudal), Giacomo Nizzolo (Dimension Data), Ignatas Konovalovas (Groupama-FDJ), Giovanni Lonardi (Nippo-Fantini-Faizanè) and Mark Renshaw (Dimension Data).

Lotto Soudal has reported that it was a mechanical issue that caused De Gendt to be dropped from the leading group. Meanwhile, Jumbo-Visma are setting the peloton in the peloton. 

Ciccone crosses the top of the climb first for the full points, which means that he is now the virtual leader in the mountains classification. There are still two more climbs to come, though. 

De Gendt has been brought back to the peloton. An unfortunate mechanical for him. 

131km remaining from 196km

Here are the full results from the first climb of the day a short while earlier. 

Up front, De La Parte had a go off the front on the twisting descent of the Colle de Lys but he has been brought back on a short rise that breaks up the downhill run. The gap to the leaders has grown to 2:45.

In the peloton, Damiano Caruso has been sitting on the end fo the Jumbo-Visma train. He was in the breakaway yesterday, but it's his turn to play the team game today while he has two teammates up the road. 

123km remaining from 196km

Here's a short from earlier in the day when Rojas, De Gendt, Formolo and Vuillermoz formed what would be the basis of this larger move. De Gendt is no longer up there after his mechanical but the rest remain. 

News coming in that Tao Geoghegan Hart has abandoned. He crashed while in the breakaway. 

No news on Geoghegan Hart's injuries, but he was already nursing injuries from a crash last week. We'll bring you news as we find out any more. 

Ineos still have Dunbar in the breakaway, who showed that he was in good form yesterday despite getting a late call up to the Giro d'Italia. Ineos has confirmed that Goeghegan Hart is 'ok' and is currently with the team doctor. 

111km remaining from 196km

Onto the flat and Jumbo-Visma now move to the front again. The gap appears to be under control as it ticks down to 2:50. Up front, Conci is trying to pull things along for his teammates. 

Primoz Roglic is getting his team to take control of things today. Yesterday, he was left isolated when it mattered and he decided to hide in the wheels of his rivals. It was a tactic that frustrated Vincenzo Nibali, who expressed his displeasure at the finish line. You can read what Nibali had to say here. 

The peloton has got the bit between its teeth and is still making inroads into the advantage of the leaders. With two teams doing the work, they've got the gap to 2:17. Trek continues to pull the breakaway along, for now. 

You can see just how fast the bunch is moving along at the moment. It's basically single file the whole way down. 

There is the briefest of lulls in the bunch as the riders pass through the feed zone. With such a packed finale, it is hugely important to make sure the riders get their fueling right. They have a bit more undulating terrain and then they'll be onto the second climb of the day, the second category Pian del Lupo. 

As things stand, Bauke Mollema stands to gain the most from this breakaway. Here is the Dutchman at the start in Pinerolo this morning. 

Speaking of Mollema, he has plenty of help in this breakaway with Brambilla, Conci and Ciccone, the later of which is looking to take the mountains classification lead back off his teammate Brambilla. 

Today is the first of three consecutive mountain stages where plenty can happen in the overall classification. Our resident Oldham Italian Stephen Farrand has written this great preview of what's to come over the next few days. Read it here. 

86km remaining from 196km

This is what the second climb of the Pian del Lupo looks like. It's shorter than the first climb but it is steeper. 

80km remaining from 196km

The leaders are through the intermediate sprint now with Rojas taking the points from Cattaneo. Rojas took that with relative ease. 

73km remaining from 196km

Jumbo-Visma bring the peloton onto the Pian del Lupo. They're trying to manage this gap as well as possible, but they're having to put in a lot of work. The breakaway could well be caught, but I wonder how much damage this will do to the team and if the others can take advantage of it on the last climb. 

69km remaining from 196km

It is Paul Martens doing the work for Jumbo-Visma in the peloton and he has Sepp Kuss in his wheel. Remember, they also have Antwan Tolhoek in the breakaway. 

Rojas has some company now in no man's land as Ruben Plaza drops back. Bit by bit, both the breakaway and the peloton are being whittled down to the strongest riders. 

More riders losing contact with the front group as the gap goes up to 2:20. Cataldo and Juul Jensen have both been distanced. 

Primoz Roglic is looking after his teammates and he hands a bidon back to Koen Bouwman. At the moment, the Jumbo-Visma train at the front of the peloton is Martens, Kuss, Roglic and then Bouwman. The latter is making sure that nobody touches wheels with Roglic. 

Behind Kuss is Caruso and Nibali with Astana and then Movistar in that order. I can see EF and Bora shirts up near the front too. 

It looks like Tolhoek is losing contact with the leaders as Antonio Nibali is caught by the peloton. 

An attack from Bilbao and Lopez from the peloton

It has been brought back, but it has already done a bit of damage as Martens peels off the front. Bouwman now moves to the front of the Jumbo-Visma train. 

Bouwman now going backwards very quickly, he looked like he was struggling a little earlier. Jungels and Polanc are also struggling a little bit. 

Polanc is really struggling now and he's getting some help from former maglia rosa Conti. At the front, Tolhoek is back with the leaders. 

64km remaining from 196km

Wow, Polanc has already lost a minute to the group of favourites. He has four minutes to play with but this is very early to be losing that amount of time. 

Chaves has been dropped from the main group of favourites, leaving Yates on his own. He still has Nieve up the road and Juul Jensen is still out there somewhere. 

63km remaining from 196km

Trek-Segafredo move to the front of the breakaway as we approach the top of the climb, but Carrattero is interested in the points too and Ciccone has to chase. Pozzovivo also interested. 

In the end, Ciccone has enough to surge past and take the full points again with Pozzovivo mopping up the points for second again, and Carrattero in third. 

The group of favourites is just over a minute behind the leaders and they could well join forces by the bottom of the descent. Conti is just behind the group of favourites, fighting hard to keep close. 

57km remaining from 196km

Astana is really pushing on down this descent, but the gap remains just over a minute to the leaders. Polanc remains at a minute further back down the road. 

It looks like Simon Yates has a teammate with him in the favourites group. Perhaps Chaves has got back in contact, it's hard to tell with the visuals available on the descent. 

Sivakov is nicely nestled into that group of favourites. He is riding a very good Giro d'Italia so far and that is good news for Ineos after the departure of Geoghegan Hart earlier today. 

Some good news for Polanc too, he is taking back some time on this descent. We haven't seen them, but I imagine that they are taking all the risks they can on the descent. 

Meanwhile, confirmation from the organisers that it is Hamilton with Yates in the group of favourites. The composition of the group is: Landa, Carapaz, López, Bilbao, Nibali, Majka, Carthy, Yates, Hamilton, Sivakov, Roglic.

Brambilla was dropped on that descent and he's chasing hard to rejoin the group, which contains his teammates. The pace slows a bit as they wait for him. 

Tony Gallopin was fed up of waiting and made a little attack, but nobody went with him so he thought better of it and he's back with the group. 

Things are coming together on this slightly flatter terrain. Jungels has been pulling the maglia rosa group along, as he did yesterday, which also has Chaves in it. They finally rejoin the group of favourites just before this final climb. Polanc takes the chance to have a chat with Roglic. 

39km remaining from 196km

The pace has dropped somewhat and it feels like the eye of the storm right now. The gap to the leaders came down to 22 seconds but it is going back out again a little and now stands at 35 seconds. 

Tao Geoghegan Hart was in the breakaway earlier today until he crashed following the first climb of the day, forcing him to abandon. Read more about his departure here. 

Roglic enjoying a quick chat with Bouwman and there is a smile between the pair. They certainly don't look too stressed at the moment. 

33km remaining from 196km

Before we get to the climb, it's the intermediate sprint, where there are GC bonus seconds. Masnada takes the three bonus seconds but Mollema is over the line to take two, with Brambilla in third. It's not a massive haul, but you never know when an additional two seconds will come in handy. 

Astana and Movistar are doing the bulk of the work on the front of the group of favourites. They dominate the first positions in this group with Bahrain-Merida just behind. 

Fans of the Italian Job will be familiar with this area as it was where the iconic final scene, where the bus hangs over the cliff edge with their loot about to slide away, was filmed. Who is going to blow the doors off today? Thank you, I'll get my hat. 

The tension is building up now, just 51 seconds between the two groups and it wouldn't take long for someone in the group of favourites to bridge the gap to the front. 

A reminder of the riders remaining in the front group: Hector Carrettero (Movistar), Tony Gallopin and Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R La Mondiale), Fausto Masnada (Androni-Giocattoli), Ion Izagirre and Andrey Zeits (Astana), Davide Formolo (Bahrain-Merida), Joe Dombrowski (EF Education First), Mikel Nieve (Mitchelton-Scott), Eddie Dunbar (Team Ineos), Antwan Tolhoek (Jumbo-Visma), Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin), Bauke Mollema, Gianluca Brambilla and Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo).

A great image of the group of favourites earlier today. 

25km remaining from 196km

Fausto Masnada attacks, Ciccone is hot on his wheel, and Carratero and Izagirre follow too. 

Dombrowski is also there with them. So it's now Masnada, Izagirre, Ciccone, Dombrowski and Carratero in the leading group. 

The gap between the leading group of five and the main group of favourites is growing out. It's currently 1:22. While the Mollema group is 41 seconds back. 

With no Mollema in the front group now, they're being given a lot more room. 

21km remaining from 196km

Brambilla continues to lead the chasing group, which contains his teammate Mollema. We have not had a time check for them for a while. 

20km remaining from 196km

Brambilla swings off the Mollema group. He is done. Mollema has to take up the chase almost immediately as Zakarin puts in a quick dig. 

19km remaining from 196km

Carrettero is the first to respond and he is quickly brought back. Now it's Masnada the next to go. 

Now Carrettero goes. The group of chasers are closing the gap and they're just 36 seconds back while the peloton is 2:04.

Mollema is pushing on in the chasing group with Zakarin and Formolo in his wheel. Further down the road, Brambilla is reeled in by the peloton. 

Csrrettero is brought back by the other leaders. All of this attacking could work against their favour as the chasers work better together. 

nothing yet from the group of favourites, who look like they're taking it comparatively easy on the lower slopes. It would be a brave man to go this early. 

17km remaining from 196km

Mollema drags his group back to the leaders and we now have a super group at the front. They have a 2:23 gap over the favourites. 

With Mollema back in there, Ciccone starts to do some work. He has got quite a lot of mountains points today, now he needs to help his leader gain time on the other GC contenders. 

Bahrain-Merida are helping set the pace in the main bunch with Damiano Caruso. Former maglia rosa Valerio Conti has had enough and slips off the back of that group. Polanc is still there, albeit near the back.

Movistar's breakaway riders are dropping back from the lead group. Are they in trouble or are they being sent to help out their leader? Izagirre also off the back. So too is Dombrowski, who looks like he's pedalling squares. 

Bob Jungels is in trouble again in the group of favourites. He has been distanced, while Dunbar is brought back by the group. 

15km remaining from 196km

Astana look to close it down and Landa kicks again. His attack is causing splits and Roglic and Yates are among those that have been slightly distanced. 

Up front, Formolo is in trouble. 

Polanc is also off the back. 

Landa has caught and passed Tolhoek, who is waiting for his team leader Roglic. He is making some headway. 

Yates looks like he's in trouble. 

Landa now has Carreterro for company. 

Landa has joined up with Amador too, so he now has two teammates to help him. Meanwhile, Yates has been dropped by Polanc. He looks like he's in a lot of trouble. 

Carretero is done, and he has pulled off. So it's just Amador with Landa at the moment. Carapaz is back with the group of favourites containing, Lopez, Roglic and Nibali. 

12km remaining from 196km

Mechanical problem for Lopez. He stops to get a neutral service bike but Astana arrives in the nick of time. It's a lot of time he's lost there. 

Lopez is now with the Polanc group, which now has Yates again. They're 30 seconds behind the Roglic group, which are two minutes behind the leaders. 

Landa is in the middle. He is 20 seconds up on the Nibali/Roglic group and is 1:40 behind the stage leaders. 

9km remaining from 196km

At this rate, Mollema is set to gain quite a bit of time on his rivals. From looking like his time in the break might come to nothing, he is gaining quite a bit of time. 

Pozzovivo is doing a sterling job for Nibali and he's cut the gap to Landa to just 15 seconds. 

Polanc must be quite pleased that Yates and Lopez got into trouble as he now has plenty of help to minimise his loses. As things stand, he should keep the maglia rosa at the end of the day. 

7km remaining from 196km

The Landa group now has Masnada and Dombrowski. They're gaining ground on the Nibali group as the road ramps up again. It's back to around 20 seconds. Every little helps. 

6km remaining from 196km

Landa is gaining time on Nibali, Roglic and Majka in group three. He now has 25 seconds. The Lopez group is a further 25 seconds back on them. 

Landa has a lot of work to do after losing a lot of ground in the early time trials, but he's putting in a huge effort today. This is Contadoresque in its ambition. 

Landa is just 1:18 behind the leaders. The leading group is now just three riders as Ciccone gets distanced after putting in a huge effort. 

4km remaining from 196km

It's a Zak attack. He gets a big gap immediately. Nieve tries to follow while Mollema can't hack the pace. 

Pozzovivo has pulled off the Niabli group and it's now a pained looking Formolo setting the pace. 

Polanc has been dropped by the Yates, Lopez group. 

Now it's a shark attack. Nibali on the move and that sheds Sivakov and Formolo from that group. 

3km remaining from 196km

Majka attacks Nibali and Roglic. They have since been caught and passed by Sivakov. 

Lopez can see Nibali and Roglic up the road, he's almost back with him. Nibali is sitting on the wheel of Roglic, perhaps trying to get some payback for yesterday. 

Up front, Nieve has joined up with Zakarin. Mollema is somewhere further back, but we don't have a time check on him right now. 

Formolo has joined up with Niabli and Roglic. This is a strong ride from the Italian. 

Roglic attacks Nibali, just as Lopez was getting close. 

2km remaining from 196km

At the moment, Landa is one minute back on the leaders, while Nibali and Roglic are 2:22 back and Polanc is now 3:24 back. 

1km remaining from 196km

1km remaining from 196km

Sivakov is not giving up and he has Roglic and Nibali again. 

1km remaining from 196km

Meanwhile, Landa has now dropped Mollema as he continues to pick his way through the stragglers. He's 1:05 behind Zakarin but he looks set to gain 1:40 on Roglic and Nibali. 

Like a yo-yo, Sivkakov battles back to the Nibali Roglic group. A relentless ride from the Ineos rider. 

Zakarin is 500 metres from the line as Landa comes under the flamme rouge. 

Further down the mountain, Nibali puts in a bit of an attack, which is easily matched by Roglic. 

Zakarin is into the final stretch. He's about to win the stage

He looks over his shoulder with 200 metres to go snd he can't see anyone. 

Tongue out, he digs deep. This is a much-needed win for Katusha-Alpecin. 

Ilnur Zakarin wins stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia. 

Nieve comes over the line to take second place 34 seconds later.

Gritting his teeth, Landa has completed a raid of the GC and he crosses the line 1:19 behind Zakarin. 

Carapaz is now far behind Landa and finishes around 20 seconds behind his teammate. Mollema is just behind him, finishing about 1:46 behind Zakarin. 

Roglic and Nibali come over the line together, they've dropped Sivakov again. It's quite a big gap to Landa as they cross the line 2:57 behind Zakarin. Landa has gained around two minutes in the overall classification in the last couple of days. 

Lopez is coming into the finishing straight and he looks like he'll lose about 1:30 to Nibali and Roglic after getting so close to catching them. 

A smashing ride from Polanc to limit his loses. He finishes just over four minutes down, while Yates crosses the line five minutes down. That was a terrible day for Yates. 

We wait for the GC, but there are going to be a lot of changes after that finale and there will be a few teams - namely Mitchelton-Scott - that will be going back to the drawing board for the forthcoming stages. 

What I can tell you is that Jan Polanc will keep the maglia rosa for another day after a gritty effort on that final climb. 

This is how the stage itself finished.

Incidentally, that is Zakarin's first win since he took the Russian national time trial title in 2017. 

We have the updated GC and you will see plenty of changes. Ilnur Zakarin has soared up to third, while Mollema is now fourth. Mikel Landa has jumped from 21st to eighth. 

Miguel Angel Lopez has moved up into the top 10, but he will be really annoyed. That mechanical completely negated all the work that he did yesterday. He will have to think hard about what he does next. Anything can happen, though and there's still plenty of potential for the Colombian. 

Zakarin is a man of few words in his interviews but this is what he had to say after the finish. 

The full results are coming through and we get a chance to see how that ride has impacted Yates' position in the GC. The Brit is now 8:14 back on Polanc, which puts him just under 5 minutes behind Roglic. 

It was surprising to see Polanc beat Yates on that climb. Polanc is obviously a decent enough climber, but you would not expect to see him beat Yates up that climb by almost a minute. Anyway, this is what Polanc had to say about his day and his chances of keeping the pink jersey. 

Here we have a little bit more with the stage winner Ilnur Zakarin. 

Ineos DS Nico Portal spoke about his rider Tao Geoghegan Hart, who crashed out from the breakaway earlier in the stage. 

For a recap of today's stage with photos and results then head here.

Further to Geoghegan Hart's injuries, Ineos have confirmed that he broke his right collarbone in the crash today. 

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