YOUNG ITALIAN CLIMBER Fabio Aru came home alone to claim the Giro d’Italia’s 15th stage on Sunday, as Colombian Rigoberto Uran retained the overall leader’s pink jersey.
The win came despite a brave effort from Ireland’s Philip Deignan, who took 14th place having spent much of the race in front.
Deignan opened up a 13-second lead with 8km left, however he ultimately could not stay ahead of the chasing pack, relinquishing the lead in the closing stage of the race.
At the 1665 metre finish at Montecampione, Aru crossed the line with a 21sec gap back to Colombian Fabio Duarte.
The 23-year-old Aru was celebrating his first career success.
Third-place went to his compatriot Nairo Quintana, who made up 20sec on Uran in the standings to lie fifth, 2min40 off the pacesetter.
Uran took fifth in this 225km ride from Oropa to the summit where late Italian climbing specialist Marco Pantani had famously duelled with Russian Pavel Tonkov on his way to victory in 1998.
“I’m satisfied,” said Uran whose closest pursuer in the standings, Cadel Evans, lost time to be placed 1min 03sec adrift.
A 12-man breakaway which at one point had pulled around eight minutes clear of the pack saw its cushion reduced to two minutes at the foot of the final climb.
Colombian Julian Arredondo joined and then moved clear of this group, only to be caught by Ireland’s Philip Deignan 9km out.
Eventual fourth Pierre Rolland turned up the volume with 5km to go, with Uran then covering Aru’s stage-winning attack.
Aru’s reward for his fine day’s efforts was to move up to fourth in the standings ahead of the last rest day as the Giro enters its final week.
Stage
1. Fabio Aru (ITA/AST) 5hr 33min 05sec, 2. Fabio Duarte (COL/COL) at 0:21sec, 3. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 0:23, 4. Pierre Rolland (FRA/EUC) 0:23, 5. Rigoberto Uran (COL/OPQ) 0:42, 6. Rafal Majka (POL/TIN) 0:57, 7. Franco Pellizotti (ITA/AND) 1:08, 8. Daniel Moreno (ESP/KAT) 1:08, 9. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/GRM) 1:13, 10. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 1:13, 11. Wilco Kelderman (NED/BKN) 1:13, 12. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) 1:13, 13. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO/TRE) 1:13, 14. Philip Deignan (IRL/SKY) 1:13, 15. Ivan Basso (ITA/CAN) 2:17
Overall standings
1. Rigoberto Uran (COL/OPQ) 63hr 26min 39sec, 2. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) at 1min 03sec, 3. Rafal Majka (POL/TIN) 1:50, 4. Fabio Aru (ITA/AST) 2:24, 5. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 2:40, 6. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) 2:42, 7. Wilco Kelderman (NED/BKN) 3:04, 8. Pierre Rolland (FRA/EUC) 4:47, 9. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO/TRE) 5:44, 10. Wout Poels (NED/OPQ) 6:32.
