"It doesn’t matter to me if I don’t win for two years..." - Patience rewarded for Alberto Bettiol, winner 'at home' in Verbania

Alberto Bettiol has nine wins in his palmarès, but almost all are of an extremely high level. The Italian has won the Tour of Flanders, a stage at the Giro; and most recently the national championships in 2024. This afternoon, he broke his two-year dry streak at the Corsa Rosa where he won in his second home through a successful breakaway.

The home factor may have made all the difference. It was not by chance Bettiol showed his true level this afternoon, as he knew he would be welcomed by his entire family at the finish. “I had already won before the start. My family and my second family, my girlfriend's, were here today. I told them all that they had to be here. They are the people who have always supported me, and the fact that I managed to win here as well is something I will take with me forever.”

It is the second time Bettiol wins at the Giro, five years after his triumph in Stradella. “It doesn’t matter to me if I don’t win for two years, as long as I get to record victories like this every two years".

The XDS Astana Team rider managed to infiltrate the 15-rider breakaway as the team's sole representative. However, the tactics at play benefitted him, as Groupama - FDJ prevented attacks until the final climb. Bettiol and Andreas Leknessund were the strongest then, and would battle up the 4.7-kilometer long climb that would decide the day's outcome.

Leknessund attacked first, but Bettiol kept his cool and waited until the final meters of the climb, where the gradients were the highest, to put in a devastating attack. "Today I knew every corner in the last fifty kilometers. I did the final climb a few months ago, and that made a difference today. I was really at my limit, but I knew where the top was.”

He admitted that he had reconned the finale several times before this Giro, and all the pieces of the puzzle fit together on a magical day where he brought Italy its second win of the week at the Giro.

“I am so happy that I have won in this jersey now. I am so happy that Vino (team manager Alexander Vinokourov, ed.) believes in me. He really wanted me two years ago and now I have repaid him. This is a great Giro for our team, I am happy to be a part of it," he concluded.