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Straits Times
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Christian Scaroni wins Stage 16 as Primoz Roglic pulls out on chaotic day at Giro d'Italia
XDS Astana Team rider Christian Scaroni (right) celebrating at the end of the 16th stage on May 27, alongside second-placed XDS Astana rider Lorenzo Fortunato. PHOTO: AFP Christian Scaroni wins Stage 16 as Primoz Roglic pulls out on chaotic day at Giro d'Italia SAN VALENTINO, Italy - Christian Scaroni won an action-packed stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia on May 27 as Isaac Del Toro's rivals cut into his overall lead and favourite Primoz Roglic abandoned the race. A 203km ride from Piazzola sul Brenta to San Valentino featured four brutal climbs, totalling up to 4,900m of elevation, with heavy rainfall leading to several crashes. Scaroni and teammate Lorenzo Fortunato broke away on the final climb, a punishing 12.6km stretch at an average gradient of 8.3 per cent, and built a sizeable lead to ensure a one-two finish for the XDS Astana Team. "I'm really happy to win a stage of the Giro d'Italia. Lorenzo Fortunato and I fought very hard and very well," Scaroni said. "He let me win the stage. I was at the limit in the last kilometre. It was very steep there." Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe) was third, completing an all-Italian podium. In the overall standings, Mexican Del Toro is now just 26 seconds ahead of Simon Yates (Visma–Lease a Bike) after running out of steam with 3km to go and failing to keep up with the Briton and Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost). Carapaz, winner of the 2019 Giro and a gold medallist at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, started the day over two minutes behind Del Toro but now trails by 31 seconds after an explosive effort on the final climb. "At the end we knew it was a real key stage here. I think I went well and I demonstrated what I've worked (on), everything it's cost me to get here and be here once again," Carapaz told TNT Sports. "I think in the last few years I haven't had the aptitude, the shape to be here in this moment but that was the motivation to get myself up and go ahead and be here and try it once more. "And good, I think we're good to give a big battle and go for it." Day of crashes Earlier on May 27, Slovenian Roglic abandoned the Giro after suffering another crash on a downhill section alongside Ecuadorean Carapaz. The 2023 winner's title bid had suffered a major blow after a crash on May 24, his third in a week, with Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe's sports director Christian Pomer saying on May 25 the team could decide to pull the 35-year-old out of the race. Welshman Joshua Tarling (INEOS Grenadiers), the stage two winner, also abandoned the race after a heavy crash. Slovenian Primoz Roglic abandoned the Giro after suffering another crash on a downhill section alongside Ecuadorean Richard Carapaz. PHOTO: EPA-EFE Roglic and Tarling were among the riders to crash on May 27, with Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers), Carlos Verona (Lidl–Trek) and Alessio Martinelli of VF Group–Bardiani–CSF–Faizane all losing their footing in the rain. Martinelli was taken to hospital after the crash, where he was conscious and in a stable condition. May 28's stage 17 is another ride through the mountains spanning 155km from San Michele all'Adige to Bormio, with an altitude gain of 3,800m. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Simon Yates closes in on Isaac del Toro as Primoz Roglic abandons Giro d'Italia on day of thrills and spills
Isaac del Toro barely clung on to the pink jersey from Simon Yates on a dramatic, attritional stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia that saw Primoz Roglic abandon the race and Juan Ayuso tumble out of contention. Christian Scaroni won the stage from Piazzo sul Brenta to San Valentino, crossing the line arm in arm with XDS Astana teammate Lorenzo Fortunato after 203 gruelling kilometres that included 4,900 metres of climbing, but the drama was all behind the leading pair. Pre-race favourite and 2023 winner Roglic climbed into his Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe car after crashing during a wet start to the stage that also saw Wales' stage two winner Josh Tarling and Alessio Martinelli abandon the race, the latter falling down a ravine. On a terrible day for UAE Team Emirates, Ayuso – who was expected to be Roglic's main rival – cracked on the penultimate climb, going on to ship almost 15 minutes, and teammate Del Toro found himself exposed on the Passo San Valentino as Yates and then Richard Carapaz attacked. Carapaz, who was also caught in the early incident that did for Roglic, burst free with a devastating attack that perhaps marks him out as the main threat in the final days of the race, and Del Toro was left alone as Yates then made his own move to get within a few seconds of pink. Del Toro started the day with an 80-second advantage over Yates but that was just 26 seconds by the end of the day, with 2019 winner Carapaz five seconds further back in third. Derek Gee moved up to fourth ahead of Damiano Caruso, with Egan Bernal gaining places, sitting sixth, despite also losing time. Adam Yates, who did his best to help the struggling Del Toro late on, is 10th, five minutes off pink. Tyrone's Darren Rafferty, a teammate of Carapaz, was part of the day's main 23-man break before finishing 40th, over 18 minutes back. He lies 80th on GC over two hours behind Del Toro, while compatriot Sam Bennett is in 147th.
RTÉ News
27-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Isaac del Toro hangs on to overall Giro lead after day of drama
Isaac del Toro barely clung on to the pink jersey from Simon Yates on a dramatic, attritional stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia that saw Primoz Roglic abandon the race and Juan Ayuso tumble out of contention. Christian Scaroni won the stage from Piazzo sul Brenta to San Valentino out of breakaway, crossing the line arm in arm with XDS Astana team-mate Lorenzo Fortunato after 203 gruelling kilometres that included 4,900 metres of climbing, but the drama was all behind the leading pair. Pre-race favourite and 2023 winner Roglic climbed into his Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe car after crashing during a wet start to the stage that also saw Wales' stage two winner Josh Tarling and Alessio Martinelli abandon the race, the latter falling down a ravine. On a terrible day for UAE Team Emirates, Ayuso - who was expected to be Roglic's main rival - cracked on the penultimate climb, going on to ship almost 15 minutes, and team-mate Del Toro found himself exposed on the Passo San Valentino as Yates and then Richard Carapaz attacked. Carapaz, who was also caught in the early incident that did for Roglic, burst free with a devastating attack that perhaps marks him out as the main threat in the final days of the race, and Del Toro was left alone as Yates then made his own move to get within a few seconds of pink. Del Toro started the day with an 80-second advantage over Yates but that was just 26 seconds by the end of the day, with 2019 winner Carapaz just five seconds further back in third. Derek Gee moved up to fourth ahead of Damiano Caruso, with Egan Bernal gaining places, sitting sixth, despite also losing time. Adam Yates, who did his best to help the struggling Del Toro late on, is 10th, five minutes off pink. Co Tyrone's Darren Rafferty (EF Education-Easypost) crossed the line in 40th today and is 80th overall. Tipperary man Sam Bennett (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) is 147th in the general classification.
The Independent
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Diego Ulissi ends Italy's Giro d'Italia drought to seize pink jersey
Italy had not seen one of their own wear the pink jersey in the Giro d'Italia in four years until Saturday when XDS Astana's Diego Ulissi took the Maglia Rosa and he will proudly wear it when he rides through his home region of Tuscany on Sunday. Ulissi came third in stage eight but his performance was enough to take the pink jersey from Slovenian Primoz Roglic as the Italian built up a slender 12-second lead over his teammate Lorenzo Fortunato, with Roglic a further five seconds back. Ulissi screamed in delight when he was told the pink jersey was his as he became the first Italian since Alessandro De Marchi in 2021 to wear the jersey, ending a long wait for home fans that lasted 86 stages. "I don't easily let myself be taken by emotions but when I was presented with the Maglia Rosa and saw XDS Astana stamped on it, I became emotional, I have to admit," Ulissi told reporters. "I'm 35, soon 36 (in July). I've had nice satisfactions in my cycling career with eight stage wins at the Giro, I've built a nice family with three daughters. "So when I first saw this jersey, I thought of all my family members, especially those who took me to races when I was a kid." The stage victory, however, went to Australian Luke Plapp, who rode solo with 45 km for his first Grand Tour stage win. Ulissi finished 38 seconds behind, losing a battle with Wilco Kelderman of Visma-Lease a Bike for second. "Luke Plapp was superior. I'm happy with how I went on such a lumpy terrain. When I heard that I had to ride flat out till the finish, I understood that I had a chance to take the Maglia Rosa," Ulissi added. "The choice of not communicating to me the exact gaps was the best thing to do in order to not disturb me. I have a long experience in cycling but I never had the Maglia Rosa before." Stage nine is a 181 km ride from Gubbio to Siena in the Tuscany region in central Italy. "Tomorrow, I'll try to give everything to defend it but it's a complicated stage that requires some luck as well," Ulissi said. Reuters. Stage eight results 1) Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla), in 4:44:20 2) Wilco Kelderman (Visma-Lease a Bike), +38' 3) Diego Ulissi (XDS-Astana), +38' 4) Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), +1'22' 5) Nicolas Prodhomme (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team), +1'35' 6) Andrea Vendrame (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team), +1'48' 7) Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS-Astana), +1'48' 8) Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost), +2'59' 9) Romain Bardet (Picnic PostNL), +3'02' 10) Alessio Martinelli (VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizane), +4'37' General classification 1) Diego Ulissi (XDS-Astana), in 29:21:23 2) Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS-Astana), +12' 3) Primoz Roglic (Red Bull -BORA-hansgrohe), +17' 4) Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +20' 5) Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +26' 6) Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) +44' 7) Max Poole (Team Picnic PostNL) +47' 8) Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) +50' 9) Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +51' 10) Simon Yates (Visma-Lease a Bike) +56' Points classification 1) Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) 153pts 2) Alessandro Tonelli (Polti VisitMalta) 59 3) Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike) 55 4) Casper van Uden (Picnic PostNL) 50 5) Orluis Aular (Movistar) 42 King of the mountains (KOM) classification 1) Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana) 98pts 2) Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 50 3) Paul Double (Jayco AlUla) 36 4) Manuele Tarozzi (VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizane), 32 5) Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 24 Young riders' classification 1) Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) in 29:21:43 2) Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +6' 3) Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) +24' 4) Max Poole (Team Picnic PostNL) +26' 5) Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +40'
Straits Times
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Emotional Ulissi revels in pink jersey after ending Italy's Giro drought
Cycling - Giro d'Italia - Stage 8 - Giulianova to Castelraimondo - Italy - May 17, 2025 XDS Astana Team's Diego Ulissi and Team Visma | Lease a Bike's Wilco Kelderman in action during stage 8 REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini Italy had not seen one of their own wear the pink jersey in the Giro d'Italia in four years until Saturday when XDS Astana's Diego Ulissi took the Maglia Rosa and he will proudly wear it when he rides through his home region of Tuscany on Sunday. Ulissi came third in stage eight but his performance was enough to take the pink jersey from Slovenian Primoz Roglic as the Italian built up a slender 12-second lead over his teammate Lorenzo Fortunato, with Roglic a further five seconds back. Ulissi screamed in delight when he was told the pink jersey was his as he became the first Italian since Alessandro De Marchi in 2021 to wear the jersey, ending a long wait for home fans that lasted 86 stages. "I don't easily let myself be taken by emotions but when I was presented with the Maglia Rosa and saw XDS Astana stamped on it, I became emotional, I have to admit," Ulissi told reporters. "I'm 35, soon 36 (in July). I've had nice satisfactions in my cycling career with eight stage wins at the Giro, I've built a nice family with three daughters. "So when I first saw this jersey, I thought of all my family members, especially those who took me to races when I was a kid." The stage victory, however, went to Australian Luke Plapp, who rode solo with 45 km for his first Grand Tour stage win. Ulissi finished 38 seconds behind, losing a battle with Wilco Kelderman of Visma-Lease a Bike for second. "Luke Plapp was superior. I'm happy with how I went on such a lumpy terrain. When I heard that I had to ride flat out till the finish, I understood that I had a chance to take the Maglia Rosa," Ulissi added. "The choice of not communicating to me the exact gaps was the best thing to do in order to not disturb me. I have a long experience in cycling but I never had the Maglia Rosa before." Stage nine is a 181 km ride from Gubbio to Siena in the Tuscany region in central Italy. "Tomorrow, I'll try to give everything to defend it but it's a complicated stage that requires some luck as well," Ulissi said. "It'll be special to arrive in Tuscany with the Maglia Rosa." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
