"Well, I wasn't expecting to win. I'm not in perfect condition, my back hurts," says Niels Driesen, Belgian from Lotto, looking like he's fallen from the clouds. He doesn't have the reputation of a pure climber, so on the eve of the second stage of the Giro della Valle d'Aosta, from Hône to Forte di Bard, absolutely nobody would have put him among the favorites. Yet he won, and with that incredulous expression he says he's "happy enough." A victory that makes Lotto especially happy, as the team has brought home the overall victory for two years with Jarno Widar (2024 and 2025), but at this Giro della Valle d'Aosta they arrived short-handed with four athletes instead of five, and at Hône on the presentation stage of the 24 teams present, Milan Donnie was missing due to a cold. Driesen's luck was finding himself in the right breakaway and still having the energy (and intuition) to catch up with yellow jersey Henrique Bravo (Soudal) and Pablo Ramirez (UAE) in a full comeback in the final five hundred meters of climbing leading to Forte di Bard, a sort of go-kart track made of curves and hairpins with a cobblestone and cement surface, truly zero grip.

A battle between South Americans between Brazilian Bravo and Ecuadorian Ramirez, both coming out in top form from the Giro Next Gen. Bravo wouldn't have minded winning the stage, but in the end he smiles because, finishing third behind the Colombian (with the same time), he extended his lead over German Max Bock (Red Bull) who finished sixth, fifteen seconds behind Driesen, and is now second overall at 16 seconds.

Pablo Torres (UAE), at 28 seconds, continues to think about the overall victory. The second stage of the 62nd Valle d'Aosta was characterized by the action of Finnish rider Kasper Borremans (Bahrain) chasing the mountain classification jersey, which he won by passing alone over both Montjovet and Col de Joux.

A stage that was hard-fought from the start. "We started with the idea of sending Enea Sambinello forward, while I controlled Bravo," says Pablo Ramirez. An action already present after twelve kilometers of racing when the group splits into sections at the Fabiole pass. The Belgian Duarte Marivoet (Lotto Groupe Wanty) takes that first mountain point, someone who doesn't boast major victories, but is always in the mix. So the breakaway starts with Gustave Blanc (Red Bull), Matthew Peace (Picnic), Tommaso Bosio (General Store), Maximilian Bock (Red Bull Bora), Javier Cubillas (Movistar) and Kasper Borremans (Bahrain). Then Niels Driesen (Lotto), Adam Rafferty (Hagens), Marc Zafra (Soudal), Gauthier Servranckx (Soudal), Enea Sambinello (UAE), Diego Nembrini (General Store) and Ryan Gal (Metec) join.

After 96 km, along the road to the Ravet mountain point (1312 m, after 96 km of racing) Borremans attacks and creates a gap. Meanwhile, in the back another race unfolds in parallel. Yellow jersey Henrique Bravo (Soudal Quick Step) races his own race alongside Pablo Ramirez (UAE) and German Max Bock (Red Bull), who is reluctant to take turns. Three scenarios to follow: Borremans alone, the first chasers, and the three general classification leaders who don't let up. Borremans doesn't hold back and continues his effort.

In the end he has only one choice, to keep going. He attacks Col de Joux (1639 meters, average gradient 6.8%), the sun is scorching and he's assisted by the team car which offers the Finnish rider first an entire block of ice to control the heat and then a gel to recharge his energy. Borremans crests followed by Blanc, Driesen, Servranckx and Cubillas. With 40 kilometers to go, the Col d'Arlaz remains to climb and Borremans doesn't ease up, knowing his immediate rival for the polka dot mountain jersey is Blanc. The Finn secures a haul of points and only eases off slightly when Cubillas, Driesen and Blanc himself attach to his wheel.

Meanwhile, in their parallel race, Bravo, Ramirez and Bock are climbing back up to reach the breakaway riders in the medieval village (beautiful) that leads up to the top of Forte di Bard. A final kilometer that breaks legs, between cobblestones and rough pavement. Driesen is still sharp enough not to give up and deliver a victory to Lotto. Tomorrow the big stage from Saint Christophe to Saint Christophe, with the mountain points at Doues, Verrogne (peaks at 12.3%), Jeanceyaz (13.2%), Saint Barthelemy (11.8%). Another finish in a steep climb, as is obvious around here. Driesen certainly won't win.