BRANDON MCNULTY OF the United States won stage 15 of the Giro d’Italia in Bergamo on Sunday in a three-up sprint following a long breakaway, pipping Ireland’s Ben Healy to deny him a second stage win in this year’s edition.
Team UAE rider McNulty, Healy and Marco Frigo of Israel Premier-Tech dropped the peloton on the last of four climbs before a tearaway run to the finish. McNulty clung on to edge Healy to the line.
It was a first win on a Grand Tour for the 25-year-old from Phoenix, who took advantage of his powerful build to clinch the sprint.
“It all came together today. I’m so happy. In the end it came down to that last kick and then the sprint. At 150 or 200m I just went for it,” said McNulty, on his fourth Grand Tour.
Meanwhile, Eddie Dunbar remains on course for a top-10 finish, as he sits eighth in the overall standings.
The 195km stage culminated in a steep climb into the old town where the main peloton raced across the line almost seven minutes adrift.
French rider Bruno Armirail kept the leader’s pink jersey despite losing 25 seconds of his lead.
He leads Ineos veteran Geraint Thomas in second place by 1min 08sec. Thomas, meanwhile, has a two-second edge on Primoz Roglic in third.
So far 45 riders have already pulled out of this year’s Giro either through illness or falls with just 132 finishing on Sunday.
Monday is a rest day for the peloton who resume with stage 16 on Tuesday which features a medium mountain stage to Monte Bondone.
– © AFP 2023, with reporting by Gavin Cooney
