FILE PHOTO: Cycling - Giro d'Italia - Stage 11 - Viareggio to Castelnovo ne' Monti - Italy - May 21, 2025 Lidl - Trek's Mads Pedersen celebrates on the podium wearing the maglia ciclamino jersey REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini/File Photo
(Reuters) -Mads Pedersen won his fourth stage of the 2025 Giro d'Italia when he sprinted to victory on Friday's stage 13, beating Wout van Aert to the line while Isaac del Toro maintained his overall lead to retain the pink jersey.
As the riders neared the finish of the 180 km ride from Rovigo to Vicenza, Pedersen was fourth when he launched his bid for victory on the uphill sprint as Van Aert stayed close on his wheel.
Del Toro had done well to earn bonus seconds in the intermediate sprint but the 21-year-old did not have the legs to challenge the sprint heavyweights as he settled for third, leaving Pedersen and Van Aert to battle it out for victory.
Ultimately, it was Pedersen who powered through to the finish to take the win by less than a bike length even as Van Aert tried his best to make a last-ditch lunge to overtake him.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in BengaluruEditing by Toby Davis)
