Race organizer RCS Sport had created a varied and interesting route for stage 13 of Giro d’Italia 2025, which would take the riders on a 180-kilometer challenge from Rovigo to Vicenza. Aside from four Category 4 climbs, the stage would be contested in flat terrain. 

The city of Vicenza is known for its famous architect Andrea Palladio (born 1508), who was one of the most notable and influential architects of the Renaissance. Palladio’s building designs are inspired by the classic Roman and Greek temples and are characterized by symmetry, classical forms, great columns, elegant proportions, and the use of generous natural lighting. La Logia del Capitaniato is a prime example of his creative excellence and Palladianism has inspired many architects of later periods, though the cyclists in the Giro would not have time for a visit after today’s stage 13.

While the stage 13 profile on paper might appeal to breakaway hopefuls and even sprinters, the stage would culminate in a climbing finish, where a steep 800-meter climb would provide a significant challenge to the faster riders, while appealing to explosive puncheurs and general classification favorites in the peloton. Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates), Mads Pedersen (Team Lidl-Trek), and Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) were the major favorites to claim the stage victory. 

The powerful sprinters in the Giro peloton had dominated the finale of yesterday’s stage 12, where Olav Kooij proved the strongest man and took a memorable victory for his Visma-Lease a Bike team. Mexican rider Isaac del Toro was still leading the general classification ahead of stage 13.

Stage 13 got off to a fast start as several riders were eager to launch attacks while hoping to join a viable breakaway group. The weather conditions were windy, which could potentially cause some stress in the Giro peloton during the stage.

A strong nine-man group formed and managed to break away from the peloton. The group featured Luca Mozzato (Arkea B & B Hotels), Fran Miholjevic (Bahrain-Victorious), Dries de Bondt (Decathlon-AG2R), Lorenzo Milesi (Movistar Team), Chris Hamilton (Picnic-PostNL), Mattia Baus (Polti-VisitMalta), Filippo Magli (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane), as well as the Groupama-FDJ duo of Sven Erik Bystrom and Lorenzo Germani.

While the riders were focused on increasing their advantage over the main peloton, they passed though the Euganean Hills, which are isolated conical elevations of volcanic nature. The area has appealed to poets and painters though history and is known for its biodiversity, thermal muds, and not least DOC vineyards. The front group had an advantage of approximately two minutes when 140 kilometers of the stage remained. 

The race passed through Noventa Vicentina, which is a small town that gained significant importance under the da Romano and Carraresi families in the Middle Ages. A rider crashed when cornering in the town, while the main peloton was spearheaded by a rider from Lidl-Trek, followed by most of the Visma-Lease a Bike team.

The battles of stage 13 of this year’s Giro continued when the breakaway group reached Arcole, which is a town associated with European military history, as Napoleon won a tactical battle in 1796 near the bridge across the Alpone river. 

The advantage of the breakaway group had been reduced to 01:50 minutes eighty kilometers from the finish line.

Lorenzo Germani opened a small gap to the other breakaway optimists when approximately fifty-five kilometers of today’s stage remained. Other riders in the front group also tried their luck while the main peloton – headed by Ineos-Grenadiers riders - had reduced their time advantage to just thirty seconds.

The riders were eagerly approaching the Category 4 San Giovanni in Monte climb at high speed. The stage favorites and GC favorites were clearly fighting for positions at the front of the main peloton, while the breakaway had almost been reeled in with fifty kilometers left.

Apart from Germani, who was still solo in front, all riders from the original breakaway had been reeled in shortly thereafter. General classification favorites such as Isaac del Toro, Egan Bernal, Richard Carapaz, and Primoz Roglic were now engaged in a battle on the short climb, while stage favorites including Tom Pidcock and Mads Pedersen had joined the action. Thymen Arensman was leading the chase effort with Germani still up the road.

Christian Scaroni attacked from the favorites group and made the leap to frontman Germani. The duo reached the top of the climb with a lead of nine seconds over a reduced peloton headed by Bahrain-Victorious riders. 

Scaroni and Germani remained in front with a lead of thirty seconds as 32 kilometers remained and the riders in the Giro peloton passed by the Romanesque parish church of Pieve di San Mauro Abate, which holds valuable historic frescoes and was a spiritual and administrative hub in the 12th century.

Daan Hoole moved to the front of the main peloton for Lidl-Trek in support of team captain Mads Pedersen. Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team also sent a rider to join the chase work for team leader Thomas Pidcock.

The riders reached the Monte Berico climb for the first time. The riders would have to climb the same climb again in the final kilometer of the stage. The advantage of the front duo was reduced on the climb while the riders passed by scenic villas. UAE Team Emirates had taken control at the front of the main peloton in support of its race leader Isaac del Toro and team captain Juan Ayuso.

While Germani got caught by the chasing peloton, Scaroni stayed in front for a little while longer. All attackers had been caught before the final ten kilometers to the finish line in Vicenza. 

Romain Bardet (Team Picnic-PostNL) attacked with Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) and the duo formed a small lead. They were sixteen seconds ahead of the chasers five kilometers from the finish line. At the two kilometer point their advantage was down to ten seconds.

Mads Pedersen, Wout van Aert, and Isaac del Toro moved to the front of the peloton as one kilometer remained. Bardet and Vacek got caught with five hundred meters left. The big names were taking control.

Mads Pedersen launched his sprint and Wout van Aert countered as did Isaac del Toro. Mads Pedersen proved the strongest rider on the day as van Aert and del Toro were both unable to follow the Great Dane. It is Pedersen’s fourth stage victory in this year’s Giro. Van Aert finished second, while del Toro completed the stage podium. Remi Rochas finished fourth, while Dorian Godon was fifth. Primoz Roglic was the sixth rider to cross the finish line, while Antonio Tiberi took seventh, and Egan Bernal finished tenth.

“The timing of my sprint was according to my instinct. I was close to the race barrier, and everyone has burning legs in the final meters,” stage winner Pedersen explained to Roadcycling.com. 

“It was useful to have seen the final stretch one time earlier in the stage. I’m pretty sure my colleague Vacek could have won the stage if he had gotten a bit bigger gap with Bardet. Right now, I am very happy with my fourth stage win in the Giro and I am overwhelmed with winning again and I’ll take it one stage at a time from now,” Pedersen added.

Isaac del Toro remains general classification leader following stage 13. UAE Team Emirates teammate Juan Ayuso is still in second place - now 38 seconds back, while Antonio Tiberi is third, 01:18 minutes back. Simon Yates is forth for Visma-Lease a Bike, Primoz Roglic is fifth, while Richard Carapaz is sixth for EF Education-EasyPost, while Egan Bernal advanced to ninth, 02:50 minutes behind the race leader.

The 2025 Giro d’Italia will continue Saturday with stage 14 – a 195-kilometer stage in flat terrain on a route from Treviso to Nova Gorica. The stage will include three Category 4 climbs in the final part of the stage.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for complete news and coverage from Giro d’Italia 2025.