Lorenzo Fortunato continues Astana momentum and takes Giro KOM lead: "But the big goal is a stage win"

The XDS Astana Team have been flying in 2025, and Lorenzo Fortunato is carrying on that momentum at the Giro d'Italia. After an attacking day for the Italian on stage 3, he finds himself in the Maglia Azzurra as the new King of the Mountains leader.

“My goal today was to be the first over the top of the climb,” Fortunato reflected in his post-stage interview at the line, after having countered from the peloton on the biggest climb of the day, caught the remainder of the breakaway and secured himself maximum KOM points at the summit. “After the KOM point, I decided to keep going with Pello Bilbao to try for the stage win, but there was too much headwind. We went full gas for about ten kilometres, but then we decided to sit up — it just wasn’t possible. Still, it was a good test of the legs. They felt strong.”

A stage win remains a big goal for Fortunato this Giro though. “The blue jersey is one of my goals in this Giro. But as a team, XDS Astana is mainly focused on winning a stage. That’s our top priority," he explained in conclusion. "I gave it a shot today — I had nothing to lose. But the big goal is a stage win. Now the Giro really begins.”