Stradella (Italy) (AFP)

Alberto Bettiol emerged victorious from the longest stage of the Giro which ended Thursday in the vineyards of Oltrepo, in Stradella, after 231 kilometers.

The Italian, surprise winner of the Tour of Flanders in 2019, was the strongest of a river breakaway of 23 riders in this stage of transition between Trentino and Lombardy.

Before two days in the mountains, capitals for the pink jersey, the Colombian Egan Bernal, and his rivals.

In Stradella, the gap peaked at more than 23 minutes between Bettiol and the freewheeling peloton, led piano piano by Bernal's men.

Without the Belgian Remco Evenepoel and the Italian Giulio Ciccone, who abandoned the race following their crash on Wednesday in the descent of the passo di San Valentino before Sega di Ala.

"It was a very long day with a lot of kilometers. But, with the heat, it was going well. We had time to think about a lot of things," said Bernal.

The Colombian said he spoke with Damiano Caruso, the Italian who occupies the second place in the general classification at 2 min 21 sec.

"We greeted each other with Simon Yates, we have a good relationship," added the wearer of the pink jersey of the Briton, his most dangerous rival if he is as efficient as in the Sega di Ala stage. .

- La + grinta + and the head for Bernal -

Everyone thought about the next two stages which end at altitude.

In Alpe di Mera, Friday, after a 9.7 kilometer climb with an average gradient of 9%.

At Alpe Motta, very close to the Swiss border, on Saturday, at the conclusion of a stage which crosses two passes above 2000 meters, an altitude that suits Bernal, who lives on the heights in Colombia.

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The fact remains that the Colombian's failure, albeit relative, in the tough ascent of Sega di Ala has revived the race for the pink jersey.

"I have to manage my advantage," said Bernal.

"I have to run with the + grinta + but also with the head. You must not make mistakes."

"I do not have all the cards in hand," agrees Yates, who points to nearly three and a half minutes in the standings.

But, having experienced the opposite situation in 2018 when he had collapsed in the last three days of racing, he knows that the unexpected reversals of situation have occurred in recent years in the Giro.

Before these meetings, Bettiol signed his first personal victory in a grand tour, the first also for his team EF Education since the departure from Turin.

He condemned the attempt of the French Rémi Cavagna, left alone at the front at the entrance of the last 30 kilometers.

"It was perhaps a bit far," regretted the French time trial champion, joined and immediately overwhelmed by the Tuscan 7 kilometers from the finish.

For Auvergnat, the next and last opportunity will come Sunday during the time trial in Milan.

On the line, Bettiol preceded his compatriot Simone Consonni by about fifteen seconds.

A double in the tone of this Giro which gave rise, just like in 2019, to five stage victories for Italian cycling with five different riders (against six in 2020 but with two riders).

© 2021 AFP