Nat Bromhead
Faultless Colombian sprinter Fernando Gaviria has beaten Sam Bennett and Jasper Stuyven to secure his fourth victory of this year’s centenary Giro d’Italia.
Despite being stuck behind a congested lead pack of riders in the closing kilometre, Gaviria, of Quick-Step Floors, made it to the front and prospered.
“I almost thought it was impossible to make it back to the front,” he said. “But we had to go for the fight and we took one more win. Riders touching each other, it happens in a sprint, I took it quietly and made my way. It’s great to feel the support of Colombian athletes from other sports.”
Lofty Ambitions
“Now that I’m winning on the road, I won’t go back to track cycling,” the Colombian added after win number four.
“To compensate for missing the Gold medal at the Rio Olympics,” Gaviria continued, “I’ll have to win three monuments and a World Championship.”
Retaining the pink leader’s jersey, Dutch rider Tom Dumoulin said he didn’t expect much to happen over the past two flat stages.
“The coming stages will be another story,” he said ominously. “Tomorrow it will be hard for the last thirty minutes and very hard for twenty minutes in the steep part of the climb to Oropa, but that’s normally what suits me very well. They’ll attack me early from all sides. Normally Movistar has the best team and Nairo Quintana is the best climber but I have to be aware of all the other GC guys too.”
- Fernando Gaviria is the first Colombian to win four stages at the Giro d’Italia, and all four are on his Grand Tour debut.
- Before Gaviria, only Damiano Cunego had won four stages of the Giro by the age of 22 (in 2004).
- With a total of 26 stage wins, Colombia has reached the same number as Russia.
Stage 13 Top 3
1 – Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) – 167km in 3h47’45”, average speed 43.995km/h
2 – Sam Bennett (Bora – Hansgrohe) s.t.
3 – Jasper Stuyven (Trek – Segafredo) s.t.
