Elia Viviani won the 13th stage to make it a hat trick of wins in the Giro d’Italia while Simon Yates remained in the overall lead on Friday as the race prepares to head into the mountains.

Viviani won a bunch sprint at the end of the flat 180km (112-mile) leg from Ferrara to Nervesa della Battaglia for his first victory in Italy after two wins in Israel at the start. Sam Bennett, who was also seeking a third victory, was second, just ahead of Danny van Poppel.

The general classification was unchanged as Yates retained his 47-second advantage over defending champion Tom Dumoulin. Thibaut Pinot is third, one minute and four seconds behind the British cyclist.

The stage was meant to be a relatively easy one before the race hits the mountains this weekend and so it proved. There was an early breakaway of five riders, who swiftly built a lead of three-and-a-half minutes.

The peloton picked up the pace as they headed into Nervesa della Battaglia
the gap was down to 22 seconds at the top of the Montello climb, shortly before the finish, and the leading group caught with just over six kilometers remaining.

Viviani was set up perfectly by his Quick-Step Floors team-mates and he showed his skills to surge through a gap and past Sacha Modolo, punching the air as he crossed the line.

The Giro heats up again on Saturday with a climb up Monte Zoncolan at the end of a 186km route from San Vito al Tagliamento. There are four other categorised climbs before the final, iconic ascent.
There is another gruelling leg through the Dolomite Range on Sunday, followed by the Giro’s third and final rest day. The 21-stage race ends in Rome on 27 May.