Giro d'Italia Stage 13 REACTION: BLISTERING attack on the final climb proves decisive 🍿

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]It was indeed your hand. Thank you. And as you can hear, the crowd here at the clubhouse in Patnau. Absolutely loved that. Alberto Betty all such a popular rider is going to be such a popular winner today, Adam, isn't he?

[00:00:15]>> He is. Yeah. And it's been a long, long time since he's won as well. So for him, that's going to mean even more. And as a bike rider, the periods that you don't have as a win, they seem longer and longer and longer. time goes on and all that training you do in the middle of it just seems to be harder and harder and you almost bang your head against the door thinking when am I ever going to do this when am I ever going to get that win again and today he got it and in emphatic style as well gorgeous to see >> yeah he's had big wins Matt hasn't he won the tur of Flanders of course 2019 he's won at the Geodatalia but I was looking back to see when his last win was outside of the national championships it's almost exactly 2 years ago 25th of May 2024 so this has been a long I'm coming. But he ruled with a confidence today of a proven winner.

[00:00:58]>> He's he's an like an assassin. He really is. He's so calculated, so so coolheaded. And the way he rode that climb, it looked like Lechnus's had ridden the race of his life. He had another second place for Lechnus. But the way that he here he is coming into finish straight. The way he stalked Lechnes and that acceleration coming into that hairpin bend and out again was something to behold. He just calculated everything perfectly. And I remember John Jonathan from Bor has read the EF education post for a few years and JB said that he doesn't sometimes just almost goes missing. He's difficult to understand how he how he works but generally you can guarantee in a year or in two years one or two big big wins. He does win big and he's done it today.

[00:01:39]He's been quiet all year to be honest with you. You almost look through the results what has he been doing but then he pulls off a ride like this and that is where his value is. He's been quiet all race. Well, been in a couple of breaks, but like when you really look at how he's performed, >> I think he was on our start list today for like a rider picture who could win.

[00:01:55]But I don't think any of us thought today, even in that breakaway when it went, you're like, "Yeah, okay, Betty's there, but he just he's not shown any glimpses of form, but today it was like it was only today that he's >> almost like all Yeah, it's all the chips on one table like psychological, physical, that's my day." And he absolutely nailed it today. I feel a bit intrusive sharing this intimate moment Betty all with a celebration and as you say though he's not really been there all season he's not been there all bike race 24th was his best finish this year so far at the tree of Flanders that beyond that it's like in the 60s and the 70s and the 80s when he attacks he lays it down doesn't he >> yeah I think do you know the hard thing for him as well is that because he has won tour of Flanders >> everyone knows he's got that engine everyone knows he's got that capability and for a team and the riders and for us even watching at home you can get frustrated but it's like today the calculation of this just laying off picking the right time picking his way through the crowd and just putting that pressure on Lchnerson to let him believe you've got this but he's a very flamboyant rider in the way that he rides in terms of he'll be able to turn the screw that little bit more and it's almost like I know when I'm going to go here I'm just going to save a little bit back to do an allout effort over the top get rid of Lneson and when you see this it's like yeah this was planned down with tea precision. It's It's like, >> you know, it looks like heat seeeking missile just straight past him. He just let waited, waited, hung him out to dry, hung him out to dry. Knows the climb very very well. He's um apart from Philip Oana who's super local, he doesn't come from that far away. So, it's almost like a local lad. So, clearly knew the climb and I would imagine if we um get to speak to him, he I probably would have targeted this stage. But again, another success as well for Astana, their third stage win.

[00:03:40]And it just shows, doesn't it, that the um the momentum, the snowball effect of one success very early in the race from Silva, then Ballerini winning and now this man. But again, all he just steps up for the big occasion and then just sinks back. He's just a really interesting rider, but an exciting one to watch and you can learn a lot about how to race patiently with precision from watching this man race.

[00:04:00]>> Yes, absolutely wonderful, wonderful attack and win for Alberto Betiel. Shall we have a little look then at the top 10 on the stage today? today. Alberto Betiel with that win. Of course, here is how the rest of the top 10 panned out.

[00:04:16]Takes us a little moment to bring it up on our graphics. We've got a delay here in our studio, but it's Andreas Lengnescent H finishing in second. 26 seconds in the end. The time gap, too.

[00:04:25]Bet Yasper Sto finishing in third with Michael Valgren, Mark Donovan, a brilliant ride from him today. Josh Kench all sharing the same time in six.

[00:04:35]Then it's Mikuel Burgato Holgard and Diego Pablo Sevilla up there once again.

[00:04:40]Hannah Walker is out at the race for us.

[00:04:43]Of course, we can cross to her now.

[00:04:44]Hannah, an exceptional victory there for Alberto Betiel from the breakaway. He's a rider.

[00:04:52]When he wins, he wins big. Tora Fllanders, Milano Torino. So many big races. This is his ninth win and he wins in the Geoditalia.

[00:05:04]Ital is a good leg is a good condition.

[00:05:09]Today have a big chance and break away but in the final is a very very fantastic and happy for all for for Alberto and for the team. Three victory for the team is very big very very good.

[00:05:29]>> He's a rider who senses the race. He's probably one of the last romantic riders. This is what he told me two years ago. His instinct is incredible.

[00:05:40]>> Yes, he's a is Alberto is fantastic. Is a good qu good condition.

[00:05:48]No problem. Go for win. Uh also the same situation in uh to the Fland also for the Jord Italia for the champion championship Italian championship is the same is Alberto.

[00:06:04]>> What were you telling him on that final climb of Unaska or was it instinct and what were you telling him once he had the gap on Andreas Lechnos? I know. Yes. Is uh also good in the distance because it's a technical is fantastic.

[00:06:24]>> Gracias.

[00:06:26]>> Yeah. Hopefully we'll hear from Alberto Betiel as to exactly how much of that was instinct, how much of it was planned. The last of the great romantics, as Hannah Walker called him, and it's difficult to argue with that.

[00:06:38]Shall we get a little bit of insight from the man himself as to how today's win was pulled off? Here is Alberto Betio.

[00:06:46]>> Alberto, we often say that you don't win often, but when you win, you win big.

[00:06:51]Did you win big today because it was a long time since last time or because of the way you won >> today? In 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 is from Verba. So, I consider Verbana my second house. And uh having all of them, my brother, my father, my my mom and all my really really few people that always have been around me, it was already for me a victory. But winning like this is something I will bring forever uh with me and uh doesn't matter if uh it was two years since I won, but uh if I win like this, I'm ready to win every two years.

[00:07:37]>> Has it helped you to know the climb compared to the Norwegian rider who was in front of you? Yes, I as I told uh I I knew every single corner in the last 50k because sometimes uh I train here and uh actually I saw this climb uh uh couple of months ago uh with a bike with a motor bike and uh I saw several times the the filming of the downhill and I knew that the the the last K was really really strong. I expect uh somebody like attack stronger from the climbers because for me is really really at the limit this climb but uh I knew that the shape was good and uh also the fact that I knew the climbber really helped me and uh that's that's how I won.

[00:08:26]>> Your first win for Aana is it a relief?

[00:08:29]>> Yeah, I'm so happy to have won finally with this jersey. I'm happy because, you know, Veno really believed in me two years ago and he really wanted me in in in his team and uh finally I I pay him back and uh I think in general all all of all of my team uh my teammates did a really really amazing Jirro so far. So I'm happy that I'm uh one of uh like I I can also put uh like part of this amazing jud for us.

[00:09:04]That local knowledge absolutely invaluable for the stageman Alberto Betol. He was talking about his girlfriend. We were all willing those security guards to let her run to her man. That is a deserved celebration between the two of them. And a beautiful insight from Betty Oair to say that his girlfriend's from here. It's like a second home for him. That his parents, his brother. It felt like a win before he even started today. I think probably a lot of people in here were welling up with that. I certainly was.

[00:09:33]>> Yeah. And that's the power of power of this sport, you know, just riding through a place where you live in the bunch is is is an amazing experience.

[00:09:40]You know, it really really is. But to win um in a place where there's you've got closed family is amazing and to deliver it. But um this clearly this story is a long one. It goes back the way that they they've reconed it on several occasions. He said he knew every single inch of it. And for me the the interesting part was because Betil is a classic specialist and once you get over 9 10% on a long climb. It's it is on the limit for a rider like him. So he had to really measure his effort and he did it to absolute perfection. He just and once you get to 10% climbs it's very easy to go into the red. Lechnerson rode a brave race but just overcooked it slightly and and this guy's got Betto's got a six. He just waited, waited, and waited and like a cat just pounced and then he was just gone. And obviously knew the descent, >> descended beautifully, apart from that little moment on the on the speed bump where he nearly lost it. He completely dialed that that descent. Smooth as you like. The lines were clean. So everything about that run into the line was pre-planned, but to do it in front of his loved ones was the cherry on the cake. And that always resonates, always hits home, doesn't it?

[00:10:42]>> Yeah. We'll talk about this in just a moment. The bunch coming across the lines from 12 minutes down. But we talk about the extra motivation that days like today can bring to someone who knows that their family is there, that it's roads that they know. He, as he said, knew every bit of the final 50 kilometers of this stage. So, it's loomed large in his mind. But the pressure then as well, you're not getting this opportunity back again.

[00:11:04]You're not getting this day back again.

[00:11:05]And as Matt says, a one day classic specialist, but to do that on stage 13 of the Jurro Italia, take them the next round.

[00:11:11]>> I I think when you really look at his results throughout this Jurro, though, he's been quite invisible. He's been a few little breakaways.

[00:11:17]>> So when you really look into this, it's even more impressive cuz the pressure, like you say, to get in the breakaway number one. We all spoke about how hard it would be to get in that break. Found himself in there, got himself into the situation at the finish, attacked that last climb, won the stage, but that's with a lot of expectation on his own shoulders. Not from his family, not from his friends or anything like that. I think it's just from him to say, I want to deliver today. And it's that that is the kind of stuff that dreams are made of when you can do it on the stage that you pick to do it on. It's incredible because it's not just a stage. Winning a stage is hard enough, but doing it in front of your home and your family and friends. Yeah, it's incredible. Not many people ever get to do that in a career.

[00:11:54]Like Matt said, he wrote past crew once.

[00:11:56]That was close.

[00:11:57]>> He's not even from there. He just lived there once. Close enough. Um I wonder how anonymously he's deliberately ridden this race so far. Then I see that his best result so far is 32nd in the time trial but on the road stages 36th just yesterday. How deliberately would you do that for the chance of being allowed into the breakaway? He's been in brakes of course at this race so far, but he's not a Julia Takone going up the road.

[00:12:21]He's not been contesting the wins necessarily. So I wonder whether or not that was calculated or just by chance.

[00:12:27]>> I think clearly with a team that that's had this much success, you you still want to feel a part of that. you can't ride anonymously, although he kind of has, but there's been occasions that day when he chipped off the front with Philip Oana.

[00:12:39]>> Um, and that was the day that Navay went on to win that was ultimately caught, but they're off the front for nearly 45 minutes into an hour. That that was a big So, he has >> he's been selective and that was a day you look at the finale quite similar to this flat flat flat flat hill at the end. Perfect for a rider of his attributes. So, there's I think there's not just one stage he's put an X on.

[00:12:57]maybe a couple. Then after those stages, he's just just waited and waited and waited. And his patience through this race almost reflects and is is a mirror of the patient that he has throughout his career. Just picks these moments to focus on and delivers. And that's why he gets signed. He might be anonymous for a bit, but when he steps up, and it will come. Sometimes you're left waiting a while. When he steps up, he does. It sounds like we're repeating ourselves, but that's the way that he conducts himself. That's the way he rides and that's the way that we get the best out of him and and he's a bit of an outlier and I like that it was that they had verve panache a romanticism about the way that he rides added into the mixes family being there. It's a proper fairy tale win.

[00:13:37]>> Yeah. And as he said, if he gets a win like that once every two years, he'll take it once in your career. Great.

[00:13:43]Fine. I take it all day long.

[00:13:45]>> One rider who could have been celebrating today. You put all that effort in. There's no guarantee of the stage win in the end. It was Andress Lchnes once again finishing second.

[00:13:53]That's his second second place finish so far at this gealia. Let's hear from him, shall we?

[00:14:00]>> And Leon, what a brave ride by you today. Talk us through that final and and your attack and and how you saw Bitchel coming.

[00:14:08]>> Oh yeah. Uh I felt felt good, but yeah, it was actually even though we went quite slow or easy when we had 10 minutes, the heat made it into a really hard day, I think, for everyone. In the last climb I felt felt good. Uh good pama set a good pace.

[00:14:29]People were dropping and I felt I I had more left. So my best opportunity today was like taking a climb and arrive alone especially with bet and uh yeah I don't remember the other >> your attack early too early.

[00:14:44]>> Yeah maybe I did too too early but I think like bet was as strong as me in the climb. So if we arrive to the finish together, it will also be really hard.

[00:14:53]So I had to get uh a gap uh as big as possible. And uh yeah, so I uh I I don't see how I could have won, but of course I'm not.

[00:15:04]>> I saw you were shouting something when you when you saw Bitwell. What were you shouting?

[00:15:09]>> I don't think I shout anything.

[00:15:10]>> It sound like you were like shouting over there. No, you weren't.

[00:15:14]>> I don't think so. It probably just pain face. I know you fight for for wins, but can you take something out from a second place today?

[00:15:22]>> Yeah, of course. Uh it's not uh it's not bad to be second, but it's my third second place in the duro and I would have uh given them for for a win. So yeah, it's a it's a good result, but I still need to uh chase that uh win.

[00:15:39]>> Well done, mate.

[00:15:40]>> Thank you.

[00:15:44]>> Yeah. Um, Andrew Milka with the questions there asking what he was shouting. He was like, I think it was just my pain face.

[00:15:51]You can forgive him for that, can't you?

[00:15:53]>> You can definitely forgive him. That man, I think he's going to win a stage in this duo as well. Yeah, I really do.

[00:15:58]I think he's >> Yeah, I'd I'd love to see. I think for him, he's riding very well. Getting himself into these breakaways, which we cannot underestimate at all. Just to get in the breakaway so difficult. That's two that he's being in now. And sadly for him, he's added a vias and a bet.

[00:16:12]two very clever riders and very strong riders, but I do think the little bit of a longer climb suits him that little bit more. So, I think when he gets into those longer climbs, it's a breakaway day. He will be able to flourish and he'll be able to get that stage win. And I hope he can cuz even in today's stage, not necessarily his terrain, he's still got a second place. So, I think looking ahead into this race, he's got many chances to get that stage win. And I I've got my fingers crossed.

[00:16:35]>> I I I don't think Leansson could have done any more. I agree with him. You could you could hear the fatigue in his voice. I mean that was a a 11th fastest stage ever in the duro. Um but I don't think he could have ridden it any other way. He had to ride that climb hard.

[00:16:49]That's exactly what he did. Betty all had to do it differently. Backing off, backing off, backing off, punch like a classic specialist and delivered.

[00:16:56]>> Um as Adam said, give Lchnus the longer climb and I think he's got the beat of these guys, but it just wasn't to be. I don't think he put a foot wrong personally.

[00:17:03]>> Yeah, that's a comfort at least. It sounds like he knows he did everything he could. It's been a few years, I think 2022 since Legos last won. So, similarly to Betty, but I wonder just how much confidence he will be taking from how well he's riding amongst this competition.

[00:17:17]>> Massive amounts of confidence. I think, like I said, you look at the breakway he's been in, the way he's been performing, the riders he's been forming up against. Nava's arguably the strongest man in the JRO so far. Bet on his daylight today, one of the strongest riders in the JRO. So, I think for him being consistent like he is, there was no Nayas there today. You know, you have to look at that. He's had a day off. So, a day off, but you put him into another breakaway on another day, he will definitely be able to do it. So, he will be taking confidence, but there'll also be a little bit of quiet frustration in the background and disappointment as well. Bless him.