Nizzolo sprints to stage win while Gaviria loses his saddle

Italy's Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka) sprinted to victory in the 13th stage of the Giro d'Italia before the race heads towards the feared Monte Zoncolan

Egan Bernal of Ineos again held the leader's pink jersey before the the feared Monte Zoncolan on Saturday.

"Finally an easy day, tomorrow we have a hard day," said Colombian Bernal, the 2019 Tour de France champion.

"Now we have to start thinking about tomorrow. You never know what can happen, we take no risks.

"It would be special (to win at Zoncolan)."

European and Italian champion Nizzolo outsprinted compatriot Edoardo Affini with Slovak Peter Sagan taking third place.

Fernando Gaviria managed fifth place in the sprint without a saddle behind Davide Cimolai in fourth. it's not yet know how he lost his seat, but he still managed a full on sprint without damaging his undercarriage!

It was the 27th career victory for the 32-year-old Nizzolo but his first on a Grand Tour.

Nizzolo said, "My goal this morning was to be second, maybe this was a trick to get the victory. I'm super happy. The only goal I had today was to sprint and not get blocked in the final so I went quite far in the wind - but I had good legs and it worked out."

Peter Sagan said, "It was a long stage that finished with a very fast sprint, not the best suited to me, where I took third place. Congratulations to Nizzolo for his first Giro stage win. I have a small lead in the points competition, I am still wearing the ciclamino jersey and I will do my best to keep it all the way to Milan."

Today the sprinters had their last chance to impress on a flat stage over 198km from Ravenna north to Verona.

The stage marked the 700th anniversary of the death of Italian literary giant Dante Alighieri whose tomb is in Ravenna, on the Adriatic coast.

VIDEO: 2021 Giro d'Italia Stage 13 Highlights

2021 Giro d'Italia Stage 13 Top 10

1 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Team Qhubeka Assos 4:42:19
2 Edoardo Affini (Ita) Jumbo-Visma
3 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
4 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Israel Start-up Nation
5 Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Col) UAE Team Emirates
6 Stefano Oldani (Ita) Lotto Soudal
7 Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
8 Max Kanter (Ger) Team DSM
9 Elia Viviani (Ita) Cofidis
10 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Jumbo-Visma

2021 Giro d'Italia GC after Stage 13

1. Egan Bernal (COL) INEOS Grenadiers 53:11:42
2. Aleksandr Vlasov (RUS) Astana - Premier Tech +45
3. Damiano Caruso (ITA) Bahrain Victorious +1:12
4. Hugh Carthy (GBR) EF Education - Nippo +1:17
5. Simon Yates (GBR) Team BikeExchange +1:22
6. Emanuel Buchmann (GER) BORA - hansgrohe +1:50
7. Remco Evenepoel (BEL) Deceuninck - Quick-Step +2:22
8. Giulio Ciccone (ITA) Trek - Segafredo +2:24
9. Tobias Foss (NOR) Jumbo - Visma +2:49
10. Daniel Martínez (COL) INEOS Grenadiers +3:15