Tour of the Alps: Giulio Pellizzari shoots to victory and seizes race lead atop stage 2 mountain finish

Giulio Pellizzari claimed a dramatic victory on stage 2 of the Tour of the Alps, securing both the stage win and the overall race lead after a tense uphill sprint finish at Val Martello. The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe rider edged out Thymen Arensman of Ineos Grenadiers in a small leading group that formed in the closing kilometres of the mountainous 147.5km stage. Pellizzari’s decisive move came after a sustained solo effort to catch the last remaining breakaway rider, Mattia Gaffuri, before the final climb, followed by a well-timed sprint that saw him surge past his rivals in the closing 600 metres. The stage unfolded with an early breakaway of nine riders, including Gaffuri, who maintained a lead of over four minutes at times before the peloton, led by teams such as Tudor Pro Cycling, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, and Ineos Grenadiers, gradually reeled them in. The decisive climb to Val Martello, featuring a 6.3km ascent at an average gradient of 7.9%, shattered the peloton and brought the general classification contenders to the fore. Pellizzari’s team played a crucial role in controlling the pace, allowing him to bridge to the front group and eventually launch his winning attack. Pellizzari reflected on his victory with a sense of progression and gratitude, recalling previous near-misses in the race and praising his teammates’ efforts. “I came here three years ago and finished third on a stage, then second the following year, and now I’ve finally won,” he said. His triumph marked only the second professional win of his career and propelled him into the race lead, displacing stage 1 winner Tommaso Dati, who was unable to feature in the finale. The stage’s outcome has significant implications for the general classification, with Pellizzari now wearing the leader’s jersey ahead of the remaining mountainous stages. The strong showing from Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, including the under-23 World Champion Lorenzo Finn, highlights their tactical depth and potential to defend the lead. Meanwhile, Ineos Grenadiers will look to regroup and respond in the coming days, as riders like Arensman and Egan Bernal remain in contention for overall honours.