In a three-way match with Ben Healy and Marco Frigo, Brandon McNulty had the last laugh and won the 15th stage of the Giro 2023 on the streets of Bergamo. If he loses around thirty seconds, Bruno Armirail retains the leader’s pink jersey.
Brandon McNulty joins the club of stage winners on a Grand Tour! The American rider from the UAE Team Emirates formation knew how to steer his boat perfectly to settle what was left of the river breakaway which animated the 15th stage of the Giro 2023. On a long course of 195 kilometers in Seregno and Bergamo, the four listed climbs offered an ideal playground for the fighters and the offensive inclinations were very quickly expressed. Indeed, after several skirmishes, Ben Healy was able to get out of the peloton with Simone Velasco.
Behind the Irishman and the Italian, a group of fifteen riders including François Bidard, Bauke Mollema, Davide Ballerini, Brandon McNulty and Marco Frigo went against. If the leading duo did not cut their effort to wait for this second group, the junction was made with 178 kilometers still to go. After seeing the peloton pull the curtain to let this breakaway go, the Groupama-FDJ team did not shy away from the responsibilities that go with the pink jersey worn by Bruno Armirail and led the pace without forcing too much. The result was a gap that very quickly exceeded six minutes. After a good effort, Martin Marcellusi managed to convert his potato chase into a junction with the breakaway.
The peloton let the breakaway happen
The slopes of Valico di Valcava, the first difficulty of the day, put the union of this breakaway in difficulty but everyone was able to hold on. In the transition before the Selvino climb, Bauke Mollema tried to skim but the Dutchman was unsuccessful. The only casualty was Alberto Dainese, who rejoined the peloton 94 kilometers from the finish. While Ben Healy took the points at the top of the second difficulty, Einer Rubio imitated him at the end of the ascent of the Miragolo San Salvatore, returning at the same time to two points behind Thibaut Pinot, second in the mountain classification behind Davide Bais.
Although the peloton never panicked, that did not prevent Pavel Sivakov from falling again, but the Frenchman was able to quickly regain his place in the peloton. At the forefront, Ben Healy tried to shake off the breakaway before the first crossing of the finish line but the Irishman was quickly caught. Accelerations which were however fatal to Martin Marcellusi, Francesco Gavazzi or Davide Ballerini. At the start of the last 60 kilometers, Niccolo Bonifazio went on the attack but it was in a second time that the Italian was able to widen a gap which flirted with the minute. However, the rider from the Intermarché-Circus-Wanty team stalled on the first slopes of the Roncola Alta, the main difficulty of the final loop.
McNulty had the last laugh
At the initiative of Marco Frigo, a trio is formed with Ben Healy, who made Einer Rubio give in, and Brandon McNulty. The American then tried to isolate himself in the lead and it was as he approached the summit that he was able to distance himself from the Irishman and the Italian. The technical descent of the Roncola Alta first allowed Ben Healy to come back then Marco Frigo did the same at the start of the last ten kilometers. A trio in which the agreement has never been ideal with the attacks which have multiplied. Three kilometers from the goal, on the slopes of Largo Colle Aperto, Ben Healy placed a new start to which only Brandon McNulty could respond.
However, the two riders essentially neutralized each other and it was in the last kilometer that Marco Frigo made the connection before countering to hope for the stage victory. But the Italian capped and saw Brandon McNulty win ahead of Ben Healy. In the peloton, after a first acceleration of the Jumbo-Visma in the Roncola Alta, João Almeida took advantage of the slopes of Largo Colle Aperto to attack more frankly and take with him the candidates for the final victory. Very quickly left behind, Bruno Armirail only gave up about thirty seconds and made sure to spend the rest day in pink. However, it is clear that the hostilities for the final victory in this Giro have only just begun.
