"It was my first Angliru and it was harder than expected" - Red Bull strikes twice on the mythical Angliru
Cycling
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.
Giulio Pellizzari has been riding in the white jersey since stage 6
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.
Gall
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.
Felix Gall on Angliru
"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."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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