Giro d’Italia, the chronicle of the fifteenth stage

The Mexican shirt is increasingly pink Isaac del Toro. In the stage of Monte Grappa and the ending on the Asiago plateau, the baby phenomenon of the UAE Emirates, 21 years old, closes the second week of the Giro with the seventh pink jersey, worn for the first time in Piazza del Campo in Siena, and above all with an advantage on the rivals that still rises. It is of the bull that goes to close three times on the attacks of Carapaz, he who goes to get Gee and Tiberi, and above all on the milestone of Asiago he earns 1’30 “on Primaz Roglic, the great favorite, who manages to limit the damage in the last 50 km only thanks to the help of a giant Pellizzari. Otherwise he would have definitively sunk. The new ranking sees some bull in the pink with 1’20” on Simon Yates. 1’26 “on Ayuso, 2’07” on Carapaz, 2’54 “on Gee, 2’55” on Caruso, 3’02 “on Tiberi, 3’38” on Bernal: Roglic drops from the fifth to tenth place with a delay of 3’53 “. Never the Slovenian, 35 years old, winner of the Giro 2023, had found himself back in a race in which they will be a favor. His legs on Tuesday, when after the day of rest, will we leave towards the tough arrival uphill in Trentino on Valentine’s Day-Brentonico?

victory

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On the milestone of Asiago there is also the most beautiful day of the Spaniard Carlos Verona, 32 years old, which gives Lidl-Trek the sixth victory of this edition of the pink race after Pedersen’s poker and that of Hoole in the time trial. Verona, who started on the middle of the day, manages to resist the chase of the group and on the finish he bursts into crying in the embrace of his wife and two children. One of the best talents of Spanish cycling, a professional past in 2013 directly from the junior category, Verona has turned over the years as one of the most experienced men of the group: in the second season in the Lidl-Trek, at the 15th as a professional, he wins the second career victory after the Alpine tappone of Vaujany at Delfinato 2022 in front of Roglic and Vingegaard. And indirectly his triumph also becomes a tribute to his captain Giulio Ciccone, who had retired after the fall in Gorizia.

last climb

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We go to the climb of Dori with a group of 10 fugitives, including fridge, Bilbao, Bardet, Garofoli and Zana, and the platoon of the pink jersey at about 50 “. 50 km from the arrival, the attackers have 2’25”. 45 km, 3’05 “. 30 km from the arrival, on the climb of Dori, a rose group at 4’17”. Forcing of Cepeda for Carapaz, good Tiberi helped by Caruso. And Carapaz starts, with Del Toro, Ayuso and Bernal, more Tiberi with Caruso who takes him underneath. Rogic loses a few meters, protected by Pellizzari. And 1 km from Dori’s GPM, lengthens Bernal. Rogic effort, Pellizzari awaits him. Carapaz a – 29 km, stopped by Del Toro and Caruso with Bernal starts again. Roglic is losing 36 “. Third attack of Carapaz. And then to – 28 km, on the hotel of Gee replies Tiberi. The pink jersey replies, also on Yates, Roglic is in a critical situation, he loses 1 ‘. Del Toro turns to see where Ayuso is. At 25 km, Roglic at 1’07”. At 20 km, Carlos Verona has 30 “on Garofoli and Zana, at 2’06” Rosa Group, at 3 ‘Roglic, escorted by Martinez and Pellizzari. At 17 km, Roglic loses 1’16 “from the Rosa group, then 1’24”. 8 km, pink group at 1’20 “and Roglic at 1’26”. And then the grand finale in Asiago.

on grappa

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On the mountain symbol of the Italian resistance to the Austrians in the Great War, the Mount Grappa climbed by the Light of Romano di Ezzelino (25 km), the attack comes from Bernal’s companions, and everything is signed by South American: the Colombian Bernal, the Ecuadorian Carapaz and the Mexican of the bull in the pink jersey. Bernal had been breaking for days, and today he found the right stage, with long climbs: 25 km Mount Grappa, 16 km of Dori that leads to the milestone of Asiago. 3 km from the GPM, Bernal is the first to attack, with 43 rides outside the saddle, launched by his partner Hamilton. The reaction of the pink jersey of the Taurus is immediate, then Carapaz also moves, and Arensman (Bernal’s partner) and Gee also includes. These big ones pass with 20 ”on the group of Roglic, Yates, Ayuso and Tiberi. At the top, Marco Frigo in command with 25″ on Fortunato, and a pink jersey group at 1’05 “, 1’21” Rogic-Ayuso group. An attack to understand also Tiberi’s conditions after the fall of Gorizia and Ayuso, who in the middle of the grappa had let himself parade due to a mechanical problem and changed the bike.

plan

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Tomorrow the Giro presents the third and last day of rest. Tuesday we start again for the final week with the 16th stage, Piazzola on the Brenta-San Valentino (Brentonico), 199 km and 4900 m in altitude, with uphill arrival in Trentino. It is the second arrival at high altitude and one of the most anticipated days. The climbs are carbon (12.9 km), Candriai (10.1 km: you go up from Trento to the middle of the Bondone), Santa Barbara (12.7 km) and the rise to Valentine’s Day (18.2 km at 6.1% with peaks of 14%). The 108th lap will end on Sunday 1 June at the Circus Maximus in Rome.