VIDEO: Giro d'Italia 2024 stage 15 highlights - Tadej Pogacar buries Giro competition in Livigno and wins in style

The Giro d'Italia's overall classification may have been cemented today in the high-altitude finish of Mottolino, Livigno. Tadej Pogacar and UAE Team Emirates took the race by the horns and delivered a stupendous performance that saw his gap to his rivals almost double whilst taking the stage win at the same time.

This was not a simple task for UAE who had to control a breakaway of almost 50 riders - almost a third of the entire Giro peloton. This was because, after the early breakaway went up the road, Cofidis worked in the peloton to keep the gap in check and then in the first climb of the day many riders attacked to create a gap over the peloton. Some only hoped to get an easier ride over the hardest climbs of the day, others looked to provide a launchpad for teammates later in the day whilst others truly dreamt of a Giro win on a mythical day.

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Michael Storer, Nairo Quintana, Nicola Conci and Simon Geschke looked among the strongest at the Passo del Mortirolo as they bridged across to the remnants of the original leading breakway of the day. The breakaway however split and the strongest riders were in the head of the race then, but without good collaboration. Georg Steinhauser looked to take advantage of that and attacked the group at the start of the penultimate climb of the day: The Passo del Foscagno. This is where most of the action happened.

As Michael Storer looked to reap the GC benefits of a day in the break, he was followed by a few riders and eventually Nairo Quintana jumped from this group when he felt it was the right time. He caught and overtook Steinhauser as further down the mountain UAE's work finished with an explosive attack from Tadej Pogacar. The Slovenian easily created a gap over his rivals on the overall classification and began to chase the breakaway. He did so successfully and in style, but only in Mottolino did he reach the Colombian rider.

An emotional win on the summit finish, a stage he specifically targeted. He won 2:50 minutes on Daniel Martínez and Geraint Thomas who are now over 6 minutes away from him in the fight for the pink jersey. Quintana and Steinhauser completed the podium on an exciting day of racing that delivered until the very end on the beautiful slopes of the ski station... Before the riders take on a much-needed rest day.

Watch the highlights of the stage below:

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