Giro 2021: Fortunato conquers the Zoncolan, Bernal cements lead

image: Cor VosJan Tratnik and Lorenzo Fortunato attack from the breakaway on the early slopes of the Zoncolan. The Italian goes alone when the climb punches up in the last 3 kilometres and solos to victory. Egan Bernal is the best GC contender and he extends his lead. Simon Yates moves up to second place overall. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 14th stage Giro d’Italia 2021

1. Lorenzo Fortunato (ita)
2. Jan Tratnik (slo) + 0.26
3. Alessandro Covi (ita) + 0.59
4. Egan Bernal (col) + 1.43
5. Bauke Mollema (nld) + 1.47
6. Simon Yates (gbr) + 1.54
7. George Bennett (nzl) + 2.10
8. Nelson Oliveira (por) + 2.18
9. Daniel Felipe Martínez (col) + 2.22
10. Damiano Caruso (ita) s.t.

11. Giulio Ciccone (ita) + s.t.
13. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) + 2.29
14. Hugh Carthy (gbr) + 2.37
15. Romain Bardet (fra) + 2.45
16. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus) + 2.55
19. Remco Evenepoel (bel) + 3.13

GC after stage 14
1. Egan Bernal (col)
2. Simon Yates (gbr) + 1.33
3. Damiano Caruso (ita) + 1.51
4. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus) + 1.57
5. Hugh Carthy (gbr) + 2.11
6. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) + 2.36
7. Giulio Ciccone (ita) + 3.03
8. Remco Evenepoel (bel) + 3.52
9. Daniel Felipe Martínez (col) + 3.54
10. Romain Bardet (fra) + 4.31

Race report
After 15 kilometres a breakaway of 11 riders takes shape. George Bennett, Bauke Mollema, Andrii Ponomar, Jan Tratnik, Rémy Rochas, Vincenzo Albanese, Lorenzo Fortunato, Edoardo Affini, Nelson Oliveira, Jacopo Mosca and Alessandro Covi carve out a gap of 9 minutes.

Mollema is the first rider over the first two climbs.

In the descent of the Forcella Monte Rest a group of seven riders – with Bernal and Vlasov – leaves the peloton behind. The other GC contenders regain contact shortly before Evenepoel bridges across with 38 kilometres remaining.

The attackers enter the Zoncolan with a lead of 6.22 minutes. Tratnik heads out alone and Fortunato rejoins him. The two tackle the steep last 3 kilometres 53 seconds ahead of the first chasers – Bennett, Covi, Mollema and Oliveira.

Fortunato goes solo inside the last 2.3 kilometres, while Covi attacks in the chase group. Evenepoel loses contact in the GC group and Yates attacks moments later. Bernal joins the Briton.

While Fortunato solos to victory, the pink jersey leaves Yates behind in the last kilometre. Bernal extends his GC lead and Yates moves up to second place. Caruso still sits in third.

Another interesting read: route 14th stage 2021 Giro.