Giulio Ciccone wins stage 15 at Giro d'Italia as GC fight sees an impasse

Trek - Segafredo have continued their successful run at the Giro d'Italia, as the team thrived in the day they've not had to carry the pink jersey's responsibilities in the peloton. Giulio Ciccone got himself in the breakaway of the day, and was victorious in Cogne as the peloton gave no resistance and the GC riders rode easily over the line.

It was once again a heavily disputed day to get in the breakaway, as the flat start didn't allow anyone to get away easily, and many times riders bridged across to those who managed to forge a gap. Over an hour was necessary to form a breakaway, with Richard Carapaz having crashed during the opening kilometers. 

A group of over 20 riders went up the road just before the first of three ascents, with big names who early on seemed clear to fight for the stage win. INEOS Grenadiers controlled the pace in the peloton throughout the day, with very little intent on the rivals to make a move despite Carapaz' possible physical issues.

Koen Bouwman, Mathieu van der Poel and Martijn Tusveld went clear in the first climb of the day, with Bouwman going for the KOM classification. The trio got a gap of over a minute on the descent, but in the second climb of the day the breakaway split with the rough gradients to Verrogne. The trio was caught, as attacks came from behind, and a group of six riders went over the top: Giulio Ciccone, Santiago Buitrago, Hugh Carthy, Martijn Tusveld, Rui Costa and Antonio Pedrero.

On the final ascent, the toughest gradients were in it's first kilometers, and Ciccone very early on started a flurry of attacks. Initially followed by Hugh Carthy, but the Briton cracked with around 20 kilometers to go, leaving the Italian alone in front and never again to be seen.

It was a long drag to the line in Cogne, but Giulio Ciccone didn't ever seem to be in trouble, as he took his third career stage win at the Giro d'Italia. Santiago Buitrago and Antonio Pedrero rolled over the finish in second and third long after.