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Stage 15, Sunday, May 20: Busto Arsizio - Lecco/ Pian dei Resinelli, 172 km

The Race: It was a wet, cold day that sapped the strength of the riders who tried their best to safely descend the dangerous mountain roads the stage presented.

Matteo Rabottini nearly the entire stage alone. Until the final few kilometers it looked as if a solo win was his. But the pack, whittled down by Liquigas' and Astana's steady tempo riding at the front relentlessly hunted the Farnese Vini rider. Near the top of the final climb Michele Scarponi tried to escape, but he was brought back, the move putting Pink Jersey Ryder Hesjedal out the back. Almost immediately Joaquin Rodriguez jumped and near the line caught Rabottini. Rodriguez was probably planning on speeding right on by, but Rabottini had enough gas in the tank to get on his wheel.

Rabottini won the sprint, but I'm guessing Rodriguez was pretty sure he had the maglia rosa and let the brave Rabottini have the stage win.

Results:

1. Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini) 5hr 15min 30sec. 32.519 km/hr
2. Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) s.t.
3. Alberto Losada (Katusha) @ 23sec
4. Sergio Henao (Sky) @ 25sec
5. Michele Scarponi (Lampre) s.t.
6. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) s.t.
7. Stefano Pirazzi (Colnago-CSF) @ 29sec
8. Roman Kreuziger (Astana) s.t.
9. John Gadret (Ag2r) s.t.
10. Amets Txurruka (Euskaltel) s.t.
11. Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel) @ 36sec
12. Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) @ 39sec
13. Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) s.t.
14. Benat Intxausti (Movistar) @ 44sec
15. Johann Tschopp (BMC) @ 52sec
16. Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) @ 54sec
17. Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil) @ 1min 11sec
18. Daniel Moreno (Katusha) s.t.
19. Damiano Cunego (Lampre) s.t.
20. Gianluca Brambilla (Colnago-CSF) @ 1min 17sec
21. Sandy Casar (FDJ-Big Mat) s.t.
22. Rigobert Uran (sky) @ 1min 46sec
23. Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre) @ 1min 58sec
24. Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF) @ 2min 5sec
25. Sylvester Szmyd (Liquigas) @ 2min 57sec
26. Kevin Seeldrayers (Astana) @ 3min 4sec
27. Sergio Pardilla (Movistar) @ 3min 34sec
28. Francis De Greef (Lotto-Beilsol) @ 3min 36sec
29. Gustav Erik Larsson (Vacansoleil) @ 3min 47sec
30. Marco Pinotti (BMC) s.t.
31. Brian Bulgac (Lotto-Beilsol) @ 4min 0sec
32. José Rujano (androni Giocattoli) @ 4min 15sec
33. Diego Ulissi (Lampre) @ 4min 28sec
34. Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Barracuda) @ 4min 52sec
35. Hubert Dupont (Ag2r) @ 5min 5sec
36. Juan José Oroz (Euskaltel) @ 5min 9sec
37. Marzio Bruseghin (Movistar) @ 5min 18sec
38. Mauro Santambrogio (BMC) s.t.
39. Jan Bakelants (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 5min 26sec
40. Sergey Lagutin (Vacansoleil) @ 5min 31sec
41. Andrey Amador (Movistar) @ 5min 41sec
42. Emanuele Sella (Androni Giocattoli) @ 6min 28sec
43. Tom Jelte Slagter (Rabobank) @ 7min 11sec
44. Evgeni Petrov (Astana) @ 7min 51sec
45. Jackson Rodriguez (Androni Giocattoli) @ 7min 59sec
46. Carlos José Ochoa (Androni Giocattoli) s.t.
47. Matteo Carrara (Vacansoleil) @ 9min 11sec
48. Damiano Caruso (Liquigas) @ 9min 27sec
49. Tanel Kangert (Astana) @ 10min 24sec
50. Geraint Thomas (Sky) @ 10min 26sec

GC after Stage 15:

1. Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) 65hr 11min 7sec
2. Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) @30sec
3. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 1min 22sec
4. Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) @ 1min 26sec
5. Roman Kreuziger (Astana) @ 1min 27sec
6. Michele Scarponi (Lampre) @ 1min 36sec
7. Benat Intxausti (Movistar) @ 1min 42sec
8. Sergio Henao (Sky) @ 1min 55sec
9. Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 2min 12sec
10. Sandy Casar (FDJ-Big Mat) @ 2min 13sec
11. Rigoberto Uran (Sky) @ 2min 56sec
12. Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil) @ 3min 16sec
13. Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF) @ 3min 17sec
14. Johann Tschopp (BMC) @ 3min 24sec
15. John Gadret (Ag2r) s.t.
16. Daniel Moreno (Katusha) @ 3min 33sec
17. Damiano Cunego (Lampre) @ 3min 45sec
18. Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel) @ 4min 20sec
19. Gianluca Brambilla (Colnago-CSF) @ 4min 45sec
20. Sergio Pardilla (Movistar) @ 5min 31sec
21. Sylvester Szmyd (Liquigas) @ 6min 35sec
22. José Jujano (Androni Giocattoli) @ 7min 50sec
23. Marco Pinotti (BMC) @ 8min 15sec
24. Gustav Erik Larsson (Vacansoleil) @ 9min 4sec
25. Diego Ulissi (Lampre) @ 10min 9sec
26. Francis De Greef (Lotto-Belisol) @ 10min 16sec
27. Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Barracuda) @ 10min 25sec
28. Hubert Dupont (Ag2r) @ 10min 26sec
29. Sergey Lagutin (Vacansoleil) @ 10min 35sec
30. Tom Jelte Slagter (Rabobank) @ 10min 48sec
31. Kevin Seeldryers (Astana) @ 11min 46sec
32. Damiano Caruso (Liquigas) @ 12min 14sec
33. Marzio Bruseghin (Movistar) @ 12min 25sec
34. Jackson Rodriguez (Androni Giocattoli) @ 14min 3sec
35. Eros Capecchi (Liquigas) @ 15min 37sec
36. Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre) @ 15min 42sec
37. Jan Bakelants (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 18min 38sec
38. Carlos José Ochoa (androni Giocattoli) @ 19min 29sec
39. Peter Stetina (Garmin-Barracuda) @ 20min 7sec
40. Emanuele Sella (Androni Giocattoli) @ 21min 48sec
41. Tanel Kangert (Astana) @ 25min 15sec
42. Juan José Oroz (Euskaltel) @ 27min 22sec
43. Andrey Amador (Movistar) @ 28min 8sec
44. Ivan Santaromita (BMC) @ 29min 31sec
45. Stefano Pirazzi (Colnago-CSF) @ 29min 40sec
46. José Herrada (Movistar) @ 32min 26sec
47. Bart De Clercq (Lotto-Belisol) @ 34min 14sec
48. Thomas Rohregger (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 38min 21sec
49. Serge Pauwels (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 43min 14sec
50. Grischa Niermann (Rabobank) @ 44min 4sec

Points Competition

1. Mark Cavendish (Sky): 110 points
2. Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha): 84
3. Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda): 54
4. Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF): 53
5. Andrey Amador (Movistar): 52

Climbers' Competition

1. Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini): 41
2. Michal Golas (Omega pharma-Quick Step): 34
3. Andrey Amador (Movistar): 28
4. Jan Barta (NetApp): 24
5. Miguel Angel Rubiano (Androni Giocattoli): 24

Young Rider

1. Sergio Henao (Sky) 65hr 13min 2sec
2. Rigoberto Uran (Sky) @ 1min 1sec
3. Gianluca Brambilla (Colnago-CSF) @ 2min 50sec
4. Diego Ulissi (Lampre) @ 8min 14sec
5. Tom Jelte Slagter (Rabobank) @ 8min 53sec

Team GC:

1. Movistar: 194hr 28min 7sec
2. Astana @ 10sec
3. Lampre @ 52sec
4. Vacnasoleil @ 8min 34sec
5. Liquigas @ 9min 8sec

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Stage 15 map and profile

Stage 15 map

Stage 15 profile

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Stage 15 photos

Matteo Rabottini on his long, lonely ride

Michele Scarponi with Joaquin Rodriguez staying close

With 2 km to go, Basso was out of teammates.

Roman Kreuziger leads Paolo Tiralongo and Ryder Hesjedal

Stefano Pirazzi has been a relentless attacker this Giro.

Scarponi leads Damiano Cunego and Joaquin Rodriguez

Joaquin Rodriguez attack at the end was masterful, taking advantage of Ryder Hesjedal's off day. Gifting the stage win to Rabottini cost him nothing, there being no tme bonuses in play. I'm sure he'll be able to call on Farnese Vini for a favor or two now.

Today was a rough day in the mountains. Dario Cataldo and Ryder Hesjedal finish the stage.

Matteo Rabottini earned this

Joaquin Rodriguez is again in pink.

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