Description

2015 Giro d’Italia

The 2015 Giro d’Italia (English: Tour of Italy) was a three-week Grand Tour cycling stage race in May 2015. It was the 98th running of the Giro d’Italia and took place principally in Italy, although some stages visited France and Switzerland. The 3,481.8-kilometre (2,163.5 mi) race included 21 stages, beginning in San Lorenzo al Mare on 9 May and concluding in Milan on 31 May. It was the fifteenth race of the 2015 UCI World Tour. The Giro was won by Alberto Contador (Tinkoff–Saxo), with Fabio Aru (Astana) second and Aru’s teammate Mikel Landa third.

Contador first took the lead after stage 5, the race’s first uphill finish. His defense of the pink jersey (given to the leader in the General classification in the Giro d’Italia) was doubted when he injured his left shoulder in a crash in the sixth stage. He held his lead through several stages but was caught up in another crash in stage 13, which caused him to lose the lead. He took the lead back the following day in the 59.4-kilometre (36.9 mi) Individual time trial, where he gained a lead of several minutes over all his rivals. Despite aggressive riding from Aru and Landa in the final week, Contador was able to defend his lead to the finish of the race. This was his third Giro d’Italia title, after the 2008 race.

As well as finishing second overall, Aru won the white jersey as the best young rider in the week. Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek Factory Racing) won the points competition, and Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) won the mountains classification. Astana finished first in both the team ranking by time and by points. Contador, Visconti, and Nizzolo all won their classifications without winning any stage victories.

Pre-race Favourites

The winner of the 2014 Giro d’Italia, Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team), chose not to defend his title to focus on the Tour de France. The principal favorite for the race was Alberto Contador (Tinkoff–Saxo), especially as Chris Froome (Team Sky) and Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), two of the most successful active Grand Tour riders, also chose to focus on the Tour and skip the Giro. Contador, who had won the 2014 Vuelta a España, was attempting to win both the Giro and the Tour in the same season. No rider had achieved this double since Marco Pantani in 1998; Contador described his ambition to do “something that people will remember forever.” Contador’s last attempt to win both the Giro and the Tour – in the 2011 season – failed. Although he finished first in the Giro, he only managed fifth place in the Tour; both results were subsequently removed because of a ban due to a doping case from 2010.

The rider considered most likely to challenge Contador for the general classification was Richie Porte (Sky). Porte had already achieved nine race victories in 2015, including the overall victories in Paris–Nice, the Volta a Catalunya, and the Giro del Trentino. Porte was expected to be particularly strong in the individual time trial and the mountains. However, Porte had not shown consistent form in a Grand Tour in recent years, and there were doubts about his ability to maintain his form over a three-week race.

Rigoberto Urán (Etixx–Quick-Step), who had finished second in 2013 and 2014, was also among the favourites, with the long individual time trial expected to suit him. Fabio Aru (Astana), who had finished third in 2014, was also expected to perform well; VeloNews described him as “perhaps the best pure climber in the race.” Other riders expected to challenge for the higher places included Ilnur Zakarin (Team Katusha), who had just won the Tour de Romandie, Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale), Jurgen Van den Broeck (Lotto–Soudal), Damiano Caruso (BMC), and Ryder Hesjedal (Cannondale–Garmin), the winner of the 2012 Giro d’Italia. Four former winners of the Giro started the 2015 edition: Contador, Hesjedal, Ivan Basso (Tinkoff–Saxo), and Damiano Cunego (Nippo–Vini Fantini).

Other prominent riders to start the race included many prominent sprinters, including André Greipel (Lotto–Soudal) and Michael Matthews (Orica–GreenEDGE). Greipel was expected to perform well in the few flat stages. Matthews could win hillier stages; his team’s strength in the team time trial was expected to put him into the pink jersey as leader of the general classification during the first week; he had also worn the jersey in the first week of the 2014 Giro. Tom Boonen (Etixx–Quick-Step), a former world champion, participated in the Giro for the first time.

Race Overview

Stage 1, the team time trial, was won by Orica–GreenEDGE. Simon Gerrans was the first rider to cross the line, so he became the race’s first leader. Tinkoff–Saxo were second, seven seconds slower, which made Contador the best-placed rider among the general classification favourites. He gained six seconds on Aru and twenty seconds on Porte. Elia Viviani won the sprint on stage 2 and led the points classification. Michael Matthews finished seventh on the stage and moved into the pink jersey. Matthews extended his lead by winning stage 3 in a sprint from a reduced group. There was particular concern during the stage after Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale) crashed on a descent; he abandoned the race and was taken to the hospital. Davide Formolo (Cannondale–Garmin) won the fourth stage from an early breakaway. Astana raced aggressively in the second part of the stage and put significant pressure on the other general classification riders; Rigoberto Urán lost more than 40 seconds, while Tinkoff–Saxo appeared weak in support of Contador. Matthews lost around 20 minutes; Simon Clarke took over the race’s lead. Clarke was the third Australian rider for the Orica–GreenEDGE team to lead the 2015 Giro.

Stage 5, with its summit finish at Abetone, was also won by a rider from a breakaway, this time Jan Polanc (Lampre–Merida), who attacked on the final climb and won by more than a minute. The general classification favourites attacked on the final climb; Contador was the first to attack and was followed by Aru and Porte. They were then joined by Mikel Landa, Aru’s teammate, and gained time over all the other riders. Clarke lost over two minutes to Contador, Aru, and Porte; he therefore lost the lead in the general classification, and Contador became the new leader of the race, two seconds ahead of Aru and twenty seconds ahead of Porte. Contador’s lead came under threat the following day. Greipel won the stage in a sprint finish, but there was a large crash in the final metres. This was caused by a spectator leaning over the crash barriers with a camera; Daniele Colli (Nippo–Vini Fantini) collided with him and caused many riders to crash behind him. Contador was among the riders who crashed; although he finished the stage at the same time as Greipel, he was treated for a shoulder injury by his team doctor and could not put on the leader’s jersey on the podium. Contador started and finished the following day’s stage despite suffering from the injury. Diego Ulissi (Lampre–Mérida) won this in a sprint finish, while Contador retained the race lead.

Contador continued to be troubled by his injury during stage 8, which finished on the climb of the Campitello Matese. The stage was won by Beñat Intxausti (Movistar), who was in the day’s early breakaway and attacked on the final climb. Astana again rode hard to pressure the other riders; eventually, a group formed of Contador, Aru, Porte, and Landa. Landa attacked and finished second on the stage, 15 seconds ahead of the other three riders. He therefore moved up into fifth place overall, while Contador increased his lead over Aru by winning bonus seconds at an intermediate sprint. Stage 9 was also won by a rider from a breakaway: Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) took a solo victory. Aru, Contador, Porte, and Landa were again alone in a group towards the end of the stage; although they finished together, Aru took a second out of the others in the sprint. This moved him to three seconds behind Contador. The following day was the first rest day of the race.

After the rest day, stage 10 was once again won by a rider from a breakaway: Nicola Boem (Bardiani–CSF) sprinted to the victory from a small group. A large group – Contador, Aru, and Landa – finished together. However, Porte suffered a mechanical problem in the final 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) and was unable to regain contact with the main group, despite assistance from his teammates and Michael Matthews, Porte’s fellow Australian. Porte lost over 40 seconds to the other general classification favourites. After the stage, it was revealed that Porte had been assisted by another Australian Orica–GreenEDGE rider, Simon Clarke. Clarke had seen Porte waiting for assistance and given him one of his wheels. This was illegal under UCI rules prohibiting “non-regulation assistance to a rider from another team”; therefore, Porte was given a two-minute time penalty and dropped to twelfth place, over three minutes behind Contador, with Landa moving up to third place.

Stage 11 was won by Ilnur Zakarin, who attacked from an all-day breakaway 23 kilometres (14 mi) from the finish line and rode solo to the finish. The general classification favourites all finished together. Stage 12 finished with a short, steep climb. It was won by Philippe Gilbert (BMC). Contador finished second to win six bonus seconds; his lead was extended further as Aru and Landa lost several seconds on the climb. Contador lost the lead the following day, however. The stage was won in a bunch sprint by Sacha Modolo (Lampre–Merida), just over 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) before the finish line; however, a large crash delayed many riders. Contador was one of the riders delayed in the crash; he lost 36 seconds to Aru, who took over the race lead. Porte was also caught up in the crash and lost another two minutes.

Stage 14 was the individual time trial, which Vasil Kiryienka (Sky) won. Contador finished third on the stage, nearly three minutes ahead of Aru. Contador, therefore, moved back into the race lead. Despite starting three minutes after him, Contador passed Landa on the road; Landa lost over four minutes and fell to seventh place overall. Movistar’s Andrey Amador moved up into third. Stage 15 was the second week’s final stage and the climb to Madonna di Campiglio. Landa won the stage after Astana rode hard on the final climb; he finished five seconds ahead of Contador and moved back to fourth place. Contador finished a second ahead of Aru and extended his lead further due to bonus seconds for his third-place finish. Porte, who had lost over 30 minutes during the weekend following the crash in stage 13, withdrew from the race after the stage.

After the rest day, Landa won a second consecutive stage. Contador had suffered a puncture at the foot of the penultimate climb – the Mortirolo – and at one point was nearly a minute behind Landa and Aru. Contador caught Landa and Aru, and then attacked them. Although Landa was able to follow Contador’s attack, Aru was not. On the final climb to Aprica, Landa attacked and won the stage, 38 seconds ahead of Contador. Aru, meanwhile, lost nearly three minutes to Landa. Landa moved up into second place, although he was still over four minutes behind Contador, with Aru now third. Sacha Modolo won his second stage the following day, in a sprint finish, with Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek Factory Racing) moving into the points classification lead. Philippe Gilbert also won a second stage of the 2015 Giro on stage 18, escaping in a breakaway early in the day and attacking 19 kilometres (12 mi) from the finish to take a solo victory. However, Contador again increased his lead: after Aru and Landa were caught behind a crash, Contador ordered his team to attack. Cyclingnews.com suggested this was revenge for Astana’s attack on stage 16. After cooperating with Ryder Hesjedal, Contador attacked alone and gained more than a minute on his rivals. Landa was second, over five minutes behind, with Aru a further 50 seconds back.

Stage 19 was the first of two consecutive summit finishes. The stage was won by Aru, who attacked early in the final climb. Contador was content to let the other riders dictate the pace in the chasing group, which finished over a minute behind Aru. Landa finished in the same group; Aru, therefore, moved back ahead of him into second place overall. Aru won again on stage 20, the final difficult stage of the Giro. Contador was isolated from his teammates early in the first of the day’s two climbs. The roads towards the top of the climb – the Colle delle Finestre – were gravel. Landa attacked around this point, and Contador was unable to follow. With Contador struggling, the other riders in the group attacked. Contador was a minute behind them at the summit, with Landa further ahead. At the foot of the final climb, Landa was ordered by his team to wait for Aru with the hope that, by working together, the two riders could put enough time into Contador to win the Giro. Aru attacked in the final kilometres of the final climb to Sestriere and won the stage. Landa was 24 seconds behind. Despite losing over two minutes, Contador retained his race lead.

The final stage of the Giro was a flat stage ending with several laps of a circuit in Milan. It was not expected to affect the general classification, with a bunch sprint the likely conclusion. There was an attack on the finishing circuit, however, by Iljo Keisse (Etixx–Quick-Step) and Luke Durbridge (Orica–GreenEDGE). Although they never had more than a minute’s lead, they were able to stay away from the peloton to the finish. Keisse won the sprint between the pair for the stage victory. Contador finished in the leading group to secure the overall victory, just under two minutes ahead of Aru. Contador thus won the overall 2015 Giro d’Italia without winning any stage victories.

Excerpt from Wikipedia – read the full entry by clicking here

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