Giro d'Italia Stage 15: Fabio Aru attacks and wins, Cadel Evans loses time

Fabio Aru of Astana has jumped to 4th overall at the Giro d'Italia after attacking on the ascent to the summit finish at Plan di Montecampione. Colombia's Fabio Duarte was second, 21 seconds down, with Movistar's Nairo Quintana just behind him. 

For the second day running, race leader Rigoberto Uran of Omega Pharma-Quick Step struggled, crossing the line 42 seconds behind Aru, but the man who is second overall, Cadel Evans of BMC Racing, fared worse and Uran now leads by 1 minute 3 seconds from the Australian. 

The climb at the end of today’s 217km stage from Valdengo had been named the Pantani Mountain by Giro organisers RCS Sport in tribute to the man who sealed his 1998 win in the race here and who died ten years ago.

Attacks came thick and fast on the climb, first from the survivors of what had been a 12-man break, them by mountains classification leader Julian Arredondo of Trek Factory Racing, who was joined by Edoardo Zardini of Bardiani-CSF.

They would subsequently be overhauled by Team Sky’s Philip Deignan, but he too would be reeled in as the GC group behind him saw a series of attacks, one of the chief instigators being Europcar’s Pierre Rolland, who finished fourth.

Following tomorrow’s rest day, there is a huge stage looming on Tuesday as the race heads into its final days, with ascents of the Passo di Gavia and Passo dello Stelvio followed by a summit finish at Val Mertello/Mertelltal.

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