For all of the attacks and GC drama throughout the stage, ultimately all the main favourites finished in the same group together - all of them, that is, apart from Primož Roglič. He falls from 5th overall to 10th, now 3:53 down on Del Toro.
In fact, this is only the second win in Verona’s whole career, following his triumph at the 2020 Critérium du Dauphiné.
This is Verona’s first stage win at Grand Tour level, having previously come so close with a second place finish at the 2021 Vuelta and two third-place finishes at the 2022 and 2020 Tour de France.
Roglič arrives at the finish about 1:30 after the pink jersey group.
Here he comes...
The pink jersey group arrive a few seconds after. Now we wait for Roglič.
Stork attacked out of the chase group in the final kilometre to take second, while Scaroni sprints from the group for third.
VERONA WINS
1KM TO GO
It's all downhill now for Verona. He's just gone under the 2km to go banner, still leading by 35 seconds.
With 3km to go, Verona is 37 seconds ahead. He should still be OK.
Even the pink jersey group is coming back into play for the stage. They're just 15 seconds behind the chase group, and 55 seconds behind Verona.
5KM TO GO
As for Roglič, he’s now 1:30 behind the pink jersey group.
Maybe this isn’t over yet? Verona’s lead has dropped to 45 seconds.
Even with this increased strength in numbers, it seems unlikely they’ll be able to bridge the gap to Verona, who’s now a minute ahead.
There's a change in the chase group behind him, as Prodhomme, Bardet, Stork and Scaroni catch up to Garofoli and Zana.
10KM TO GO
Roglič is 1:25 down now. That sees him slip to 10th on the virtual GC.
It’s not just UAE who are working in the pink jersey group, but also the likes of Movistar(Quintana), Bahrain-Victorious (Bilbao) and Visma-Lease a Bike (Leeman). They’re all sensing an opportunity to dump Roglič out of contention.
15KM TO GO
Roglič is visibly struggling and going backwards now. His group is 1:15 behind the pink jersey group.
Roglič is losing ground again, his defecit grown to 55 seconds.
20KM TO GO
There are about 20 riders in the pink jersey group.
40 seconds now between Roglič and the pink jersey group, which is being led by UAE's Majka, McNulty and Adam Yates.
Roglič has help with him in the form of teammate Dani Martínez, and he’s doing a good job so far, reducing his deficit back to under a minute.
Roglič is the only man in the GC top ten missing from the pink jersey group.
Finally Roglič reaches the top a whole minute behind the pink jersey group. He faces a big chase on the final 25km plateau to the finish to save his Giro.
They're 2 minutes behind Verona - the break still looks good for the stage.
Those four are joined by the rest of the group of favourites, just as they ride over the top.
Carapaz and Gee are also with them.
Simon Yates attacks, and again Del Toro follows his wheel.
Del Toro shuts down both of those riders, with apparent ease. He drags the rest with him.
Tiberi follows Gee.
Gee attacks from the pink jersey group.
Up ahead, Verona reaches the top of the climb, now just 12 seconds ahead of Zana and Garofoli.
Storer, Poole, Rubio and Caruso are also in the pink jersey group.
Roglič is over 30 seconds adrift.
Simon Yates also bridges up, but Roglič is losing more ground.
Del Toro, Bernal, Tiberi are with him, and joined by Ayuso, Gee and a Movistar rider.
Carapaz attacks.
Bernal takes over at the front.
Gee and Simon Yates come across, but Roglič is being distenced.
Del Toro is on his wheel, and Ayuso, Tiberi, Bernal are all there also.
CARAPAZ ATTACK
Cepeda and Steinhauser are the 2 EF riders leading the peloton, and have upped the pace.
30KM TO GO
EF take over at the front from UAE. Is Carapaz planning something?
Strangely, Bernal’s move looked more like a sprint for the Red Bull Kilometre than a committed attack - surely he knew the bonus seconds had all already been snapped up by the breakaway riders out in front?
UAE have three men at the front of the peloton, in addition to leaders Del Toro and Ayuso. They've taken over control of the peloton after Ineos' attacks.
None of those moves were explosive in the manner the attacks on Monte Grappa were.
He's been brought back by the peloton, being led by UAE.
Bernal knocks it off, and Arensman counter-attacks.
Del Toro has marked him and is on his wheel.
BERNAL ATTACK
The chase among the rest of the breakaway group does not look organised.
Verona comes through the Red Bull Kilometre, leading the race alone. He's 35 seconds ahead of Garofoli, with Zana just a few seconds behind him.
Hamilton is done, and now Castroviejo takes over at the front of the peloton.
While his Lidl-Trek team already have five stage wins at this Giro alone, Verona has never won at Grand Tour level. This would be the biggest win of his career.
Zana has a gap and is closing down on Verona. He's 38 seconds behind.
There looks to be about 50 riders still in the peloton.
Zana has attacked out of the chasing group. They've dropped to 1 minute behind Verona, so needed to do something.
Ineos haven’t ignited things yet. That’s reflected by the gap between the peloton and Verona, which has grown to 4 minutes.
Behind Hamilton is Castroviejo, and behind him are Bernal and Arensman, poised.
Hamilton increases the pace some more. This does feel like the set-up for another attack.
40KM TO GO
Hamilton leads the peloton, and has upped the pace.
The rest of the break are 35 seconds behind Verona.
Garofoli didn't actually quite manage to latch onto Verona's wheel, and he's falling further adrift now.
Garofoli has joined Verona, after a tough chase.
As the peloton start the climb, Ineos have taken over again. This would suggest that they're planning on attacking this climb, just as they did Monte Grappa.
Garofoli is chasing after Verona.
Carlos Verona has attacked already out of the break.
On paper, you'd fancy the likes of Bilbao, Bardet, Frigo and Zana to be the best climbers in this break.
KOM - DORI
The break's leading is getting bigger and bigger. It's now up to 3:15.
This final climb isn’t anywhere near as big as Monte Grappa, but it’s still a tough one. It climbs at 5.3% for 16.6km.
50KM TO GO
This 11-man lead group is 1:37 ahead of the peloton, as they approach the start of the final climb of the day.
Bardet, Leemen and Stork have caught up to the Bilbao group, who have now caught Frigo. We therefore have a new lead group of 11 riders.
Also in the Bilbao group: Verona, Prodhomme, Scaroni, Zana, Fiorelli and Garofoli.
Bardet is also with Leemen and Stork, as they try to join the Bilbao group.
60KM TO GO
Bilbao is in a group also containing Prodhomme and Fiorelli, trying to join Frigo, who still leads the race on his own. Lemmen is in a group behind, with Stork.
Bilbao and Lemmen have gone clear.
Now they've reached the bottom of the descent of the Grappa, riders are trying to jump out of the peloton and form a new breakaway group.
Here are the updated KOM standings. Fortunato has a huge lead now:
The results at the top of Monte Grappa, where Fortunato's Astana teammates mopped up most of the rest behind him:
The bold Bernal attack has come to nothing, but it was a thrilling attempt so far from the finish. Will they try somethine again on the final climb, coming up after this descent an a valley road?
The peloton has now joined the pink jersey group.
70KM TO GO
The peloton still have 12 seconds to make up on the pink jersey group.
Still UAE lead the chase in the peloton. It's understandable they see Carapaz, Bernal etc as a threat to Ayuso, but this is hardly a show of confidence in Del Toro's ability to stay in the pink jersey come the final week.
The pink jersey group has joined up to the original breakaway, which still contains over 20 riders.
80KM TO GO
The peloton is coming back to the pink jersey group. They're just 10 seconds behind.
Still it's UAE chasing at the front of the peloton. They're 18 seconds behind.
Frigo has opened up a big lead here. He's 30 seconds ahead of the rest of the break.
Bernal and Arensman are goading Del Toro to work with the group, but he's refusing - presumably because of team orders.
Frigo has taken off out the front of the breakaway, and is leading the race on his own.
In the pink jersey group: Del Toro, Carapaz, Bernal, Arensman, Gee. In the peloton: S.Yates, Ayuso, Roglič, Tiberi.
The peloton reach the top of the climb, 20 seconds behind the pink jersey group.
90KM TO GO
Fortunato takes the maximum points.
Fortunato attacks from the break.
Meanwhile the break is 500 metres from the top of the climb. Getting the KOM points atthe top might be all they can hope for, now that the GC race has kicked off already.
These five riders are 20 seconds ahead of the peloton.
Gee joins Bernal, Del Toro, Arensman and Carapaz.
UAE are leading the group behind, despite having Del Toro in the group ahead. This is where things get complicated for the team - do they back Ayuso, or Del Toro?
And now Arensman joins them. That's 3 riders who are willing to ride.
Del Toro isn't taking turn, Richard Carapaz is.
Richard Carapaz has joined them.
This is a huge move from Bernal, no less than 92km from the finish.
BERNAL ATTACKS
Castroviejo is done already, and Lucas Hamilton takes over - and ups the pace considerably.
Tarling is done, and Castroviejo takes over.
Ayuso has made his way back to the front of the peloton, surrounded by 6 of his teammates, including Del Toro.
Riders are being dropped out of the peloton, including Chris Harper, who was 19th on GC.
Tarling is setting the pace for Ineos, having been dropped from the breakaway group.
Ineos have 3 riders at the front, with Bernal behind them. The Colombian has some time to make up on GC, having crashed in the time trial and been caught out in the split yesterday.
Up ahead, the break is reassembling as more riders join up to those who got away.
They've made their move just as Ayuso returns to the peloton, but he's still at the back.
A change in the peloton as Ineos Grenadiers take over and up the pace.
Arrieta and Prodhomme are also with Rubio.
Rubio has responded to it, ditching his Movistar teammates to ride across himself.
The cream seems to be rising to the top on the climb. These five riders are among the best in the break, on paper.
Zana, Martínez and Frigo have joined Steinhauser and Fortunato.
Back up ahead, Fortunato has joined Steinhauser.
Ayuso's changed his bike and is chasing back up to the peloton.
Ayuso has had a problem. He touched somone's wheels, and, though didn't come off the bike, has been held up.
Steinhauser attacks from the breakaway.
Ulissi is sharing turns with Movistar in the breakaway group. His Astana teammate Fortunato is on his wheel, anticipating the KOM points on offer at the top.
100KM TO GO
UAE Team Emirates-XRG are leading the peloton but not pressing on. No sign yet of Tiberi or anyone else being in trouble.
Movistar have taken over from Ulissi again in the lead group.
The gradient tilts up again, and there’s a change at the front as Ulissi takes over.
The break are enjoying some brief respite on a plateau, but they still have another 15km left until they reach the top of Monte Grappa.
Conci has been brought back by the main breakaway group.
There are still about 30 riders left in the break, which is still being led by Movistar.
After his earlier efforts, Vacek has been dropped from the breakaway group, and now Tarling is struggling to hang on.
110KM TO GO
The Movistar-led breakaway group have caught De Pretto and Vacek, but Conci is still ahead by 25 seconds.
Conci has gone clear from De Pretto and Vacek.
The peloton is starting to be thinned out. Mads Pedersen is among them.
Vacek De Pretto and Conci still have a lead of 30 seconds on the rest of the break, which is being led by Movistar.
Gaudu is being dropped from the breakaway already. Having gotten into the break this might have been the day he returned to form, but this suggests he’s still hurting from his early-race crash.
MONTE GRAPPA
We're approaching the foot of Monte Grappa, where the race is likely to explode into life again.
Vacek, De Pretto and Conci have increased their lead to 30 seconds.
120KM TO GO
The gap between the break and peloton has grown to 3:30, which means Rubio is now up to 2nd on the virtual GC.
They recently went through an intermediate sprint, where Frigo was first over the line ahead of De Pretto, Ulissi and Formolo.
The 11 riders who had gone clear from the rest of the break have been brought back.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG are leading the peloton behind. They’re 3:15 behind the leaders.
Frigo, Houle, Konrad, Plapp and Zanna are the riders who have joined the 6.
130KM TO GO
More riders are bridging up to this lead group of 6, who are now pressing on.
Vacek and De Pretto have joined those four leaders.
They’re not pressing on, however, the Movistar duo aware that their leader Rubio is still in the main breakaway behind.
Four riders have slipped off the front of the breakaway group - Tarling, Formolo, Cepeda and Ulissi.
The breakaway group is very big for now, but is sure to break up once they start climbing Monte Grappa, in about 20km.
The highest ranked rider on GC in the break is Einer Rubio. The Movistar rider (who finished seventh overall last year) has done well to slip into this group unnoticed, as he’s a threat for the top ten, currently ranking 14th overall at just 4:26.
Some other riders confirmed as being in the break: Gaudu, Zanna, Plapp, Konrad, Pellizzari.
140KM TO GO
The Tiberi group is back with the first peloton. Crisis over - for now. If the Italian was hurting on that small first climb, the mountains coming up are likely to be too much for him to hang on.
To name a few of the standout names in this massive breakaway group: Bilbao, Martínez, Frigo Cattaneo, Scaroni, Fortunato, Vacek, Tarling.
There are about 35 riders together in the front group.
As a result, the Tiberi group is closing down on the pink jersey group They have them within 45 seconds.
The pink jersey group has sat up. They’ve given over a minute to the lead group.
Four riders have jumped out of the lead group.
About 30 riders have joined together to form a lead group, with the pink jersey group 50 seconds behind.
The pink jersey and the other GC favourites all seem to be in the same group, with other groups of breakaway hopefuls ahead of them.
150KM TO GO
Ayuso is at the team car. His UAE team are a little short in the front peloton, with McNulty and others in the Tiberi group.
The Tiberi group is now 1:30 behind. Bahrain are doing most of the pace-setting, with some help from Polti.
The front peloton has come back together again, but it's still hectic racing.
It’s all got quite messy out there. A large group has got a small gap over the rest of the front peloton.
The Tiberi group has lost a bit more time, slipping down to 1:15.
160KM TO GO
Four riders have a small gap - Ulissi, Bilbao, Rafferty and another.
Both the leading peloton and the Tiberi chase group are large in size, with about the same number of riders in them.
Louis Meintjes and Francesco Busatto are among the latest to attack, but can’t establish a gap.
The Tiberi group is 50 seconds adrift from the main peloton.
One GC man is still missing from the peloton - Antonio Tiberi. The Italian was the first man to fall in the crash yesterday, and it appears is still hurting from it.
170KM TO GO
The second group on the road has caught the first group on the road. There are still some straggling groups, but no GC riders appear to have been caught out.
It has also seen the breakaway been caught.
The climb has caused splits in the peloton.
Conci takes the 3 KOM points at the top, on marking duties for his Astana teammate Fortunato.
Conci has also joined them, and is leading as the near the summit.
Cattaneo and Stock have used this climb to join up to the leaders.
MURO DI CA’ DEL POGGIO
180KM TO GO
More riders are attacking out of the peloton to try and bridge the 15 second gap to the leaders, but none are succeeding.
Now there are just four - Covili has been dropped.
This five-man group has the biggest gap any has had all day. They are:
At the intermediate sprint, Kooij and Van Uden also went for some points, placing third and fourth, having declined many of the points on offer in previous stages. Here are the updated rankings in the points classification:
M. Bais, Milesi and three other riders have a gap.
The sprint out the way, the attacks recommence.
Actually, Pedersen just about came around Plowright to take the maximum points.
Jensen Plowright challenges Pedersen for the sprint, and appears to pip him at the line.
190KM TO GO
An intermediate sprint is coming up in 2km, and thus Lidl-Trek have formed a train at the front of the peloton for Pedersen.
Andrea Pietrobon is the first rider in a while to get a small gap, but he too has been brought back.
Kasper Asgreen is at the back of the peloton, talking to his team car. He must be exhausted after his stage-winning efforts yesterday.
Still multiple attacks are being made, but it's been a while since anyone opened up any delight between themselves and the peloton.
200KM TO GO
They too have been brought back. This could go on for a while longer yet.
Pedersen keeps trying, and has Soudal's sprinter Paul Magnier with him.
More riders join them, before the peloton catches them.
As have Quintin Hermans, and Mads Pedersen in the maglia ciclamino.
Georg Steinhauser and Wout Poels have joined Planckaert.
Edward Planckaert has attacked and has a gap.
He's brought back, by a fierce pace set by an Astana rider leading the peloton.
Michael Hepburn is the latest rider to have a small gap, albeit only of about two seconds.
Taco van der Hoorn is leading this one, trying to propel his teammate Louis Menitjes.
210KM TO GO
Egan Bernal is right at the back of the peloton. That's not an ideal place for a rider 9th on GC to be. Is he feeling OK?
They've all been brought back.
A Bahrain and Soudal rider have bridged up to this leading quartet.
Fabio Van den Bossche is the Alpecin rider, and he and Van Aert have been joined by Vacek and Tarling.
Van Aert has gone again, and this time got a small gap, along with an Alpecin rider.
That pair has been brought back.
Gijs Van Hoecke has joined Konrad.
Patrick Konrad is the first rider to get a bit of a gap. With Ciccone out of the race and his GC bid over, Konrad and the rest of the Lidl-Trek team are freed up to exclusively chase stages.
Wout van Aert is interested. He's among the first riders to try and get up the road.
OFFICIAL START
Del Toro is at the team car, as we wait for the flag. This is a big day for him, as he'll start to learn how well he can climb this deep into a race.
Although we reach the mountains later in the stage, the first 100km today are flat. That will give some non-climbers the chance to get into the day’s break, and a head-start ahead of the climbing.
After yesterday's rain, the weather is drier and skies bluer today.
The riders are off, rolling out from the unofficial start.
Despite his strong position, Del Toro is still being coy about his chances. "In my mind, or my body, things are the same,” he said after his time gains yesterday, “I just want to be up there."
In the aftermath of yesterday’s crash, it’s been announced today that Giulio Ciccone will not be continuing the Giro. The Italian was taken to hospital after going down yesterday, and it’s been decided that he will abandon the race.
It was all change in the GC yesterday, as the late crash caused significant time gaps between many of the favourites and consequently changes in the order of the top ten. There’s likely to be yet more today as the riders take on the Alps for the first time.
15 minutes until the riders roll out in Fiume Veneto to start today's 3.9km neutral zone.
Here's a look back at the stage 14 results.
And here's the stage 15 map, as the riders make their way across Northeast Italy.
Here's a look at the profile of today's stage, which features ascents of the infamous Monte Grappa and the Passo Dori before the finish in Asiago.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of stage 15 of the Giro d'Italia!
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As it happened: GC attacks on dramatic Alpine stage 15 of the Giro d’Italia
The riders tackle a 219km stage from Fiume Veneto to Asiago -
Giro d'Italia: Carlos Verona holds off chase to triumph with solo stage 15 victory, as Primož Roglič loses valuable time into Asiago
Florian Stork second and Christian Scaroni third, as mountainous day closes out the second week at the Corsa Rosa -
Vuelta a Burgos Feminas: Marlen Reusser smashes stage 4 final time trial to seal overall victory
Juliette Labous is second in the race against the clock as Elisa Longo Borghini finishes third in Lezana de Mena
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Mathieu van der Poel crashes twice in return to mountain biking at XCO World Cup in Nové Město
The extent of injuries has not yet been confirmed as Dutchman abandons his first mountain bike race since 2023 -
USA Pro Road Championships: Gavin Hlady wins under-23 men's road race title in Charleston
Dylan Zakrajsek second, Alfredo Bueno third in 135km road race -
USA Pro Road Championships: Ella Sabo claims under-23 women's road race title in Charleston
Cassidy Hickey second, Kaia Schmid third in 92.6km circuit race
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'Everyone has their eye on the stage to Asiago' - Luke Plapp hopes Jayco AlUla can be inspired by his Giro d'Italia breakaway win
Sunday's stage 15 offers perfect terrain for an aggressive breakaway -
'It's my first time trial in almost two years' - Marlen Reusser in the driver's seat ahead of Vuelta a Burgos Feminas finale
Movistar leader is back at her best post-COVID syndrome -
'Everything happened so fast' – Luck the difference between winning and losing as crash disrupts Giro d'Italia GC
Primož Roglič and Egan Bernal crash again on stage 14 as Derek Gee and Richard Carapaz make gains
