Lorenzo Fortunato continues Astana momentum and takes Giro KOM lead: "But the big goal is a stage win"
Cycling
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.”
Read also
👕 The Jerseys after Stage 3️⃣
— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 11, 2025
🩷 🇩🇰 @Mads__Pedersen (@LidlTrek) - @IntimissimiUomo
💜 🇩🇰 @Mads__Pedersen (@LidlTrek) - @itatradeagency
💙 🇮🇹 @lorenzfortunato (@XDSAstanaTeam) - @bancamediolanum
🤍 🇨🇿 Mathias Vacek (@LidlTrek) - @conad#GirodItalia | @castellicycling pic.twitter.com/o6XqIaJ5sN
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
claps 2visitors 2
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment