Points leader Jonathan Milan made it a hat-trick of wins in the 2024 Giro d’Italia as he sprinted to victory on stage 13.
As the flattest stage of the race, the 179km ride from Riccione to Cento looked perfectly suited to the 6ft 4in Italian powerhouse.
However, it seemed as though Milan might miss out when he and his Lidl-Trek team were dropped in the cross-winds with 61km to go.
The Italian and his team-mates eventually managed to close the gap to the peloton though, before dominating the run-in to the finish.
Movistar’s Fernando Gaviria was first to kick but Milan overhauled the Colombian to win in style.
“I was delivered in perfect position before the sprint. Simone Consonni started his lead out from 400m to go,” Milan said.
“It’s impressive how everyone on the team was committed to the sprint finish.
“I’m super happy and proud of my team.”
Poland’s Stanislaw Aniolkowski finished strongly to take second for Cofidis while Germany’s Phil Bauhaus came third for Bahrain Victorious.
Slovenian Tadej Pogacar retained the overall leader’s pink jersey for UAE-Team Emirates, with Colombian Dani Martinez of Bora-Hansgrohe remaining second and Welshman Geraint Thomas staying in third for Ineos Grenadiers.
Saturday’s stage 14 is an individual time trial before the race heads into the mountains.
Pogacar, who won the first time trial of this year’s Giro, said: “Tomorrow I hope to have the same feelings as the last time trial and finish very strongly.”
Stage 13 result
1. Jonathan Milan (Ita/Lidl-Trek) 4hrs 02mins 03secs
2. Stanislaw Aniolkowski (Pol/Cofidis) Same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (Ger/Bahrain Victorious)
4. Tim van Dijke (Ned/Team Visma)
5. Hugo Hofstetter (Fra/Israel-Premier Tech)
6. Fernando Gaviria (Col/Movistar)
7. Juan Sebastian Molano (Col/UAE Team Emirates)
8. Laurence Pithie (NZL/Groupama – FDJ)
9. Giovanni Lonardi (Ita/Polti-Kometa)
10. Alberto Dainese (Ita/Tudor Pro Cycling)
General classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) 49hrs 24mins 38secs
2. Dani Martinez (Col/Bora-Hansgrohe) +2:40
3. Geraint Thomas (GB/Ineos Grenadiers) +2:56
4. Ben O’Connor (Aus/Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) +3:39
5. Antonio Tiberi (Ita/Bahrain Victorious) +4:27
6. Romain Bardet (Fra/DSM-Firmenich PostNL) +4:57
7. Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita/Astana-Qazaqstan Team) +5:19
8. Filippo Zana (Ita/Jayco-AlUla) +5:23
9. Einer Rubio (Col/Movistar) +5:28
10. Thymen Arensman (Ned/Ineos Grenadiers) +5:52