Ready for a Hot and Fast Day at Giro!
Precision Amacx hydration and Q36.5 equipment strategy behind Mark Donovan’s Stage 13 performance.
Stage 13 of the Giro d’Italia was raced at extreme intensity from the very first kilometre. With average speeds reaching almost 60 km/h across the opening 17 kilometres and temperatures rising throughout the afternoon, the stage became a demanding test of power output, thermoregulation, hydration management and aerodynamic efficiency.
From the start, the objective for Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team was clear: place a rider in the breakaway and execute with precision across every performance detail. Mark Donovan delivered exactly that, spending the entire day at the front of the race before securing fifth place at the finish.
In conditions where overheating and dehydration can rapidly compromise performance, the team built Donovan’s race strategy around aggressive fluid intake and constant carbohydrate delivery using the Amacx Turbo Line range. Across the 189 km stage, Donovan consumed 10 bottles, combining fluids, electrolytes and high-carbohydrate intake to sustain repeated threshold efforts during more than four hours of racing at full gas.
Equipment selection also played a central role in the performance setup. Donovan raced in the Q36.5 Dottore Clima skinsuit — the team’s most breathable race option — specifically chosen to maximise ventilation and body temperature regulation under the Giro heat. The setup was completed with Q36.5 aero socks and aero gloves to maintain aerodynamic efficiency during the exceptionally fast opening phase of the stage, while the Unique Pro road shoes provided the balance of stability, ventilation and power transfer required for prolonged high-intensity efforts.
The opening hour proved decisive. With the peloton immediately stretched at maximum speed and the fight for the breakaway developing under constant acceleration, riders were forced deep into the red almost instantly. In those conditions, precision fuelling and cooling strategies become as important as physical condition itself.
"The last two days have also been really hot, so at least we’re starting to get a bit used to it. Probably the one advantage of being in the breakaway is that you always have the car behind you. Two days putting ice down the neck, pouring water over and making sure you drink enough. Luckily I had the Clima skinsuit on today as well. The materials really help to stay cool. It all works together. Maybe I’m not completely satisfied because I felt like there was a really nice result not far away, but I just didn’t quite have it in the end. Still, I’m pretty happy. It was nice to be in that move and in the mix at the finish."
Mark DonovanDonovan’s fifth place also marked his best Grand Tour stage result since the 2020 Vuelta a España, underlining both his current condition and the collective performance work carried out behind the scenes by the team and its technical partners.
At WorldTour level, days like this are won long before the final climb — through preparation, precision and the ability to perform under extreme speed and heat.
