The top finisher from the breakaway, the Finnish rider from the Bahrain Victorious Development team claimed a prestigious victory on the Iseran. Meanwhile, Lorenzo Finn comfortably retained the yellow jersey ahead of the finale at Lago Serru.
Kasper Borremans had every reason to celebrate; the victory he secured at an altitude of 2,770 meters—atop the Col de l’Iseran—was truly unforgettable. The Finn may not have the classic physique of a climber, but he is robust and tenacious. Admittedly, challenging for the Yellow Jersey was out of the question—even though the breakaway’s lead peaked at four minutes as they passed through Val d’Isère, and Borremans had started this “queen stage” sitting 28th overall, 4 minutes and 48 seconds behind leader Lorenzo Finn. However, for Team Bahrain—which had two riders among the three strongest survivors of the breakaway (alongside the Pole Jackowiak, who was slightly better placed at 3 minutes 48 seconds)—focusing on the stage win was the smarter move, especially given the prestige of such a high-altitude finish. Still, he had to contend with the talented Belgian Jasper Schoofs (Soudal Quick-Step), who spent time alone in the lead, was reeled back in, and attacked again before finally being overtaken in the very last stretch…
This battle for the stage win played out alongside the contest for the general classification, where the attackers nevertheless made significant gains in the standings (Schoofs moving up to 4th, Jackowiak to 6th). Yet, Yellow Jersey holder Lorenzo Finn remained comfortable; he appeared to ride well within himself, even while the stage win was still up for grabs. Finishing fourth—39 seconds behind the day’s winner—the young Italian looked composed and effortless, keeping only one rival, Ecuador’s Mateo Ramirez, in his immediate wake; meanwhile, just behind them, Brazil’s Henrique Ribeiro and Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale’s Rémi Arsac also demonstrated genuine climbing prowess. The general classification has now been clarified, as Lorenzo Finn holds a commanding lead—over two minutes (2:07)—over the Belgian Niels Driesen, who remains his closest rival. This gives him a comfortable cushion heading into the final stage at Lago Serru, situated at an altitude of 2,200 meters at the end of a grueling final climb previously featured in the 2019 Giro (won by Zakarin).
And now, Italy is abuzz with excitement, eager to believe in the arrival of the champion it has sorely lacked since Vincenzo Nibali—at least when it comes to stage races. But Lorenzo Finn is also a world champion, having won the title first as a junior (2024) and now in the U23 category. Clearly, Italy has reason to believe.
