The Story of the Giro d'Italia, Volume 1 by Bill and Carol McGann is available as a full-length, unabridged audiobook.

Back to 2013 Giro page | Stage 15 photos (posted below results and stage map) |

Stage 15, Sunday, May 19: Cesana Torinese - Les Granges du Galibier, 149 km

Rated Ascents:

• Km 58.6: Col du Mont Cenis (2,094m), 25.7 km @ 6.2% average gradient, max 10%, Category 1
• Km 126.2: Col du Tétégraphe (1,566m), 11.9 km @ 7.2% gradient, max 11%, Category 2
• Km 149: Col du Galibier (2,642m), 13.9 km @ 6.5% gradient, max 11%, Category 1

The Race: The stage's original plan was a finish at the summit of the Galibier, I believe the Giro's first visit to the big mountain. Bad weather has forced the organizers to move the finish 4.25 km down the mountain to the Pantani Memorial. The sun may have shined, but it was a brutally cold day in the Alps. At 1:25 PM local time in Aussois, midway between Mt Cenis and the Galibier it was 4C (40F), cloudy with a mix snow and rain falling nearby.

The peloton didn't race the Mt Cenis ascent, probably because yesterday's stage was so difficult along with concern that more than a few tired riders would have trouble making the time cutoff. Still, a seven-man group went clear over the top and with 65km to go they were 5min 30sec ahead.

On the lower approaches of the Télégraphe the neutralization was nowhere to be seen and with 26 km to go the gap was down to two minutes. In fact, attacks went off the front of the bunch one after another. Astana remained unworried and tapped out a steady tempo at the front of the reduced peloton.

Over the top of the Télégraphe it was Giovanni Visconti followed at 50sec by Stefano Pirazzi, Matteo Rabottini, Robinson Chalpud and Pieter Weening. Then Robert Gesink, Egoi Martinez, Sergio Henao and Robert Kiserlovski, Angel Rubiano Chavez at two minutes. The maglia rosa group was 2min 56sec behind Visconti when it went over the crest.

As the Galibier began to bite Visconti still looked good with a minute on the first chasing trio. The rain began to fall (snow at the finish!), ensuring the riders, many of whom had removed their warm gear, would have another cold day.

With six km to go, the peloton was content to ride behind Astana with Visconti 2min 37sec up the road and Rabottini a minute behind him.

At 1.7 km to go Nibali attacked and was quickly marked by Scarponi and the other contenders. Other riders went off, but Nibali was concerned only about GC threats and ceased any offensive riding.

Giovanni Visconti, under appalling conditions, drove on across the finish line after being off the front for about 100 km. Bravo! Nibali's lead was never put under any real danger.

Results

1. Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) 4hr 40min 48sec
2. Carlos Alberto Betancur (Ag2r) @ 42sec
3. Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre-Merida) s.t.
4. Rafal Majka (Saxo-Tinkoff) s.t.
5. Fabio Andres Duarte (Colombia) @ 47sec
6. Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Merida) @ 54sec
7. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) s.t.
8. Cadel Evans (BMC) s.t.
9. Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fanitni) s.t.
10. Rigoberto Uran (Sky) s.t.
11. Robert Kiserlovski (Radio Shack) s.t.
12. Damiano Caruso (Cannondale) @ 58sec
13. Franco Pellizotti (Andorni Giocattoli) s.t.
14. Wilco Kelderman (Blanco) @ 1min 0sec
15. Rury Trofimov (Katusha) s.t.
16. Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 1min 6sec
17. Danilo Di Luca (Vini Fantini) @ 1min 9sec
18. Darwin Atapuma (Colombia) @ 1min 24sec
19. Benat Intxausti (Movistar) s.t.
20. Eros Capecchi (Movistar) @ 1min 27sec
21. Tanel Kangert (Astana) s.t.
22. Hubert Dupont (Ag2r) @ 1min 39sec
23. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ag2r) s.t.
24. Diego Rosa (Androni Giocattoli) @ 1min 49sec
25. Matteo Rabottini (Vini Fantini) s.t.
26. Robert Gesink (Blanco) @ 1min 52sec
27. Jarlinson pantano (Colombia) @ 1min 55sec
28. Fabio Aru (Astana) @ 2min 2sec
29. Sergio Henao (Sky) @ 2min 4sec
30. Francis Mourey (FDJ) @ 2min 12sec
31. Juan Manuel Garate (Blanco) s.t.
32. Stef Clement (Blanco) s.t.
33. José Herrada (Movistar) @ 2min 27sec
34. Evgeni Petrov (Saxo-Tinkoff) @ 2min 34sec
35. Francis de Greef (Lotto-Belisol) @ 2min 47sec
36. Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel) @ 2min 58sec
37. Patrick Gretsch (Argos-Whimano) @ 3min 5sec
38. Christian Knees (Sky) @ 3min 23sec
39. Steve Morabito (BMC) s.t.
40. José Rodolfo Serpa (Lampre-Merida) @ 3min 26sec
41. Rob Ruijgh (Vacansoleil) s.t.
42. Steven Kruijswijk (Blanco) @ 4min 41sec
43. Gorka Verdugo (Euskaltel) s.t.
44. Pieter Weening (Orica-GreenEdge) @ 3min 55sec
45. Thomas Damuseau (Argos-Shimano) @ 4min 33sec
46. Kanstantsin Siutsou (Sky) @ 4min 59sec
47. Ivan Santaromita (BMC) @ 5min 13sec
48. Vladimir Karpets (Movistar) @ 5min 28sec
49. Xabier Zandio (Sky) @ 6min 32sec
50. Valerio Agnoli (Astana) @ 7min 7sec

GC after Stage 15:

1. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) 62hr 2min 34sec
2. Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 1min 26sec
3. Rigoberto Uran (Sky) @ 2min 46sec
4. Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini) @ 2min 47sec
5. Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Merida) @ 3min 53sec
6. Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre-Merida) @ 4min 35sec
7. Carlos Alberto Betancur (Ag2r) @ 5min 15sec
8. Rafal Majka (Saxo-Tinkoff) @ 5min 20sec
9. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ag2r) @ 5min 57sec
10. Benat Intxausti (Movistar) @ 6min 21sec
11. Robert Kiserlovski (Radio shack) @ 6min 42sec
12. Yury Torfimov (Katusha) @ 7min 25sec
13. Robert Gesink (Blanco) @ 7min 38sec
14. Tanel Kangert (Astana) @ 8min 9sec
15. Franco Pellizotti (Androni Giocattoli) @ 8min 15sec
16. Sergio Henao (Sky) @ 8min 16sec
17. Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 8min 36sec
18. Damiano Caruso (Cannondale) @ 9min 57sec
19. Wilco Kelderman (Blanco) @ 13min 29sec
20. Danilo Di Luca (Vini Fantini) @ 14min 44sec
21. Evgeni Petrov (Saxo-Tinkoff) @ 16min 16sec
22. Darwin Atapuma (Colombia) @ 16min 55sec
23. Francis de Greef (Lotto-Belisol) @ 18min 37sec
24. José Rodolfo Serpa (Lampre-Merida) @ 22min 9sec
25. Francis Mourey (FDJ) @ 24min 2sec
26. Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel) @ 24min 29sec
27. Steven Kruijswijk (Blanco) @ 24min 36sec
28. Rafael Valls (Vacansoleil) @ 29min 50sec
29. Diego Rosa (Androni Giocattoli) 2 30min 45sec
30. José Herrada (Movistar) @ 33min 34sec
31. Andres Duarte (Colombia) @ 33min 55sec
32. Tiago Machado (Radio Shack) @ 37min 0sec
33. Juan Manuel Garate (Blanco) @ 39min 53sec
34. Hubert Dupont (Ag2r) 2 41min 26sec
35. Ivan Santaromita (BMC) @ 43min 39sec
36. Steve Morabito (BMC) @ 48min 57sec
37. Pieter Weening (Orica-GreenEdge) @ 50min 7sec
38. Kanstantsin Siutsou (Sky) @ 50min 26sec
39. Jarlinson Pantano (Colombia) @ 50min 51sec
40. Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) @ 52min 37sec
41. Jorge Azanza (Euskaltel) @ 52min 55sec
42. Giampaolo Caruso (Kstusha) @ 57min 1sec
43. Petr Ignatenko (Katusha) @ 1hr 2min 10sec
44. Valerio Agnoli (Astana) @ 1hr 2min 37sec
45. Vladimir Karpets (Movistar) @ 1hr 6min 38sec
46. Fabio Felline (Andorni Giocattoli) @ 1hr 7min 2sec
47. Thomas Danielson (Garmin-Sharp) @ 1hr 7min 26sec
48. Stefano Pirazzi (Bardiani-CSF) @ 1hr 8min 7sec
49. Matteo Rabottini (Vini Fantini) @ 1hr 8min 47sec
50. Peter Setina (Garmin-Sharp) @ 1hr 14min 21sec

Points Competition:

1. Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step): 109 points
2. Cadel Evans (BMC): 91
3. Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini): 84
4. Carlos Alberto Betancur (Ag2r): 79
5. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana): 74

Climber's Competition:

1. Stefano Pirazzi (Bardiani-CSF): 65 points
2. Giovanni Visconti (Movistar): 42
3. Robinson Chalapud (Colombia): 28
4. Jackson Rodriguez (Androni Giocattoli): 26
5. Carlos Alberto Betancur (Ag2r): 23

Young Rider:

1. Carlos Alberto Bentacur (Ag2r) 62hr 7min 49sec
2. Rafal Majka (Saxo-Tinkoff) @ 5sec
3. Wilco Kelderman (Blanco) @ 8min 14sec
4. Darwin Atapuma (Colombia) @ 11min 40sec
5. Diego Rosa (Androni Giocattoli) @ 25min 30sec

Team Classification:

1. Sky 195hr 45min 6sec
2. Blanco 2 5min 45sec
3. Lampre @ 5min 56sec
4. Movistar @ 8min 18sec
5. Astana @ 9min 1sec

Stage 15 map

Stage 15 profile

---

Stage 15 photos:

The ascent of Mt Cenis (Moncenisio in Italian)

Must have been cold up there...

Really cold.

Panorama of the Mt. Cenis acsent

Danilo Di Luca next to Italian Champion Franco Pellizotti

Cadel Evans leads Nibali up the Galibier.

Samuel Sanchez tried to escape on the Galibier

Michele Scarponi

Vincenzo Nibali leads past the 2 km to go marker

Vincenzo Nibali did one attack and here Cadel Evans is closing up to him.

What a ride! Giovanni Visconti wins stage 15 after being off the front for about 100 km.

Carlos Alberto Betancur snags second place, the bonus time and the Young Rider classification.

Przemyslaw Niemiec finished third.

Rafal Majka lost the white jersey to Betancur today.

Stage winner Giovanni Visconti

Nibali's defense of his lead today was a perfect, cold-blood affair. He did only what he needed to do to keep his maglia rosa.

The Galibier's Marco Pantani memorial