"It was my first Angliru and it was harder than expected" - Red Bull strikes twice on the mythical Angliru

As was expected, the Alto de l'Angliru uncovered the cards of all GC contenders, however the situation has not become any more clear than it was before Friday. Both stage winner Joao Almeida and race leader Jonas Vingegaard appeared to be on a similar level while the battle for final podium spot is still wide open. Jai Hindley was ultimately the biggest winner of stage 13, crossing the line just behind the leading duo which catapulted him into a 4th overall.

To underline the great day for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, Giulio Pellizzari arrived sixth and now finds himself in the same position overall as well. "It was a good day for me and Jai, who is now closer to the podium," said Pellizzari in the lobby after today's stage.

The 21-year-old Italian successfully defended his white jersey in front of Matthew Riccitello, even though he was gapped by the American on early slopes of the final ascent. "I tried to pass Riccitello and I'm happy with the result. The white jersey is a goal for me and the team, so it was a good day."

"I'm a rider who likes a consistent pace," Pellizzari explained. Like many other, he chose to trust his computer and didn't panic when the group of favourites including Riccitello dropped him. A strategy that paid off as he gradually passed his rival in the race for white jersey.

"It was my first Angliru and it was harder than expected," he said with a smile. "I did my best in a great battle with Matthew Riccitello." The Italian has a 32-second advantage over the lightweight Israel - Premier Tech climber.

Felix Gall was among the first big GC contenders to lose contact with the group of favourites on the slopes of Alto de l'Angliru, but the Austrian quickly proved to know his legs quite well, as he gradually passed riders who set a tad bit too high pace and eventually arrived 5th, 52 seconds behind the winner. That means the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale leader successfully defended his fifth place in the GC.

"I think this was the toughest climb I've ever done," Gall sighed at the summit. "The percentages were truly bizarre; it felt like it would never end. It was the longest last five kilometers, partly due to UAE's high pace leading up to the final climb. Everyone suffered, and I gave it my all until the finish line."

"It's such a long climb, so I opted for my own pace," Gall explained his strategy. "A kind of time trial, where I didn't look at others. It wasn't possible to keep the wheel of Jonas and João (Vingegaard and Almeida, ed.) either."