2012 Giro d'Italia, Stage 15 Results, Part II

Abruzzese Matteo "Rambo" Rabottini (Farnese Vini – Selle Italia) won the 15th stage in a memorable finish ahead of Spaniards Joaquin Rodriguez and Alberto Losada, both of Team Katusha. In the video posted yesterday, and again here, Rodriguez passes his teammate Losada with 800 m to go as he chases down Rabottini. At 500 m Rabottini's pedaling is agile with Rodriguez closing fast. At 350 m Rodriguez catches Rabottini and passes him at 300 m but Rabottini manages to stay on Rodriguez's wheel. At 75 m Rabottini passes Rodriguez to take an incredible victory.


"The most important thing today was not to give up in my head, frankly I did not think it could win when I went on the escape this morning, " said Rabottini. "When Rodriguez passed me I lost all hope but when I passed him at 75 m I couldn't believe it myself, I made a great effort. On that final climb I couldn't push hard so I rode in an agile gear, I had decided to see if I could make it to the finish like this or if I had to I would save myself to go hard in the last km. When Rodriguez passed me I shifted into two harder gears. In the team car were Luca Scinto (team manager) and Valentino Sciotti (owner of Farnese) always shouting encouragement. This is truly the most beautiful day of my life."

Rabottini continued, "When I crashed at 17 km to go I felt the world coming down on me but I realized that nothing bad had happened so I re-started without any problem. During the winter Scinto told me, "Come and win a stage in the Giro." When you are told that in early winter, you laugh a little. I think that if you work well and with conviction in the end the rewards are seen."

Rodriguez, thanks to his efforts to catch Rabottini, takes back the Maglia Rosa that he lost yesterday to Hesjedal. "Yesterday I tried to stay on the wheel of Hesjedal but he was too strong, today I was a bit better than him. However, the Giro is still far from finished." Rodriguez continued, "I didn't let Rabottini win. I don't have many Giro stage victories, these races are not ones you gift."

Highlights of stage:


Today: the second, and last, rest day of the Giro.

Tomorrow, Tuesday: the 16th stage is 173 km from Limone sul Garda to Falzes. It is a "medium mountain stage" that is slightly uphill for its entire length, and with a challenging finish at the end.

Top 10 Stage 15:
1 Matteo Rabottini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia 5:15:30
2 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team
3 Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha Team 0:00:23
4 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling 0:00:25
5 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre - ISD
6 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
7 Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 0:00:29
8 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team
9 John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
10 Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi

GC:
1 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team 65:11:07
2 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda 0:00:30
3 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:01:22
4 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:01:26
5 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team 0:01:27
6 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:01:36
7 Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:42
8 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling 0:01:55
9 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:02:12
10 Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 0:02:13
11 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling 0:02:56
12 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:03:16
13 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 0:03:17
14 Johann Tschopp (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:03:24
15 John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
16 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team 0:03:33
17 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:03:45
18 Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:04:20
19 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 0:04:45
20 Sergio Pardilla Bellon (Spa) Movistar Team 0:05:31
21 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:06:35
22 José Rujano Guillen (Ven) Androni Giocattoli 0:07:50
23 Marco Pinotti (Ita) BMC Racing Team 0:08:15
24 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:09:04
25 Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:10:09
26 Francis De Greef (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 0:10:16
27 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Barracuda 0:10:25
28 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:10:26
29 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:10:35
30 Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:10:48
31 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro Team 0:11:46
32 Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:12:14
33 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Movistar Team 0:12:25
34 Jackson Rodriguez (Ven) Androni Giocattoli 0:14:03
35 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:15:37
36 Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISD 0:15:42
37 Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan 0:18:38
38 Carlos José Ochoa (Ven) Androni Giocattoli 0:19:29
39 Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Barracuda 0:20:07
40 Emanuele Sella (Ita) Androni Giocattoli 0:21:48
41 Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team 0:25:15
42 Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:27:22
43 Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar Team 0:28:08
44 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) BMC Racing Team 0:29:31
45 Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 0:29:40
46 José Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar Team 0:32:26
47 Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 0:34:14
48 Thomas Rohregger (Aut) RadioShack-Nissan 0:38:21
49 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:43:14
50 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:44:04
51 Branislau Samoilau (Blr) Movistar Team 0:45:03
52 Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:45:19
53 Oliver Zaugg (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan 0:47:02
54 Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team NetApp 0:47:39
55 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling 0:48:07
56 Jan Barta (Cze) Team NetApp 0:48:36
57 Matteo Rabottini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia 0:49:36
58 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Team Saxo Bank 0:50:46
59 Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Astana Pro Team 0:55:27
60 Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha Team 0:55:59
61 Jon Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:57:46
62 Nelson Oliveira (Por) RadioShack-Nissan 0:57:59
63 Fabio Felline (Ita) Androni Giocattoli 0:58:45
64 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:59:23
65 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team 1:01:15
66 Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha Team 1:03:30
67 Julien Vermote (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 1:11:56
68 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 1:12:01
69 Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 1:12:12
70 Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre - ISD 1:13:43
71 Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 1:14:28
72 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling 1:15:15
73 Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre - ISD 1:16:30
74 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol Team 1:17:02
75 Mathieu Perget (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1:18:21
76 Francis Mourey (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 1:18:47
77 Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez (Col) Androni Giocattoli 1:19:10
78 Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 1:19:52
79 Simone Ponzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team 1:20:05
80 Stefan Denifl (Aut) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 1:20:50
81 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale 1:21:37
82 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team 1:23:34
83 Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 1:24:03
84 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 1:26:45
85 Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team 1:27:40
86 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Lampre - ISD 1:28:15
87 Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Movistar Team 1:28:26
88 Francesco Failli (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia 1:28:54
89 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha Team 1:29:33
90 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 1:34:01
91 Ivan Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 1:34:21
92 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team 1:35:00
93 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Team Saxo Bank 1:35:35
94 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha Team 1:37:00
95 Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team 1:38:33
96 Andreas Dietziker (Swi) Team NetApp 1:39:21
97 Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1:39:35
98 Angelo Pagani (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 1:39:59
99 Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - ISD 1:40:49
100 Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1:44:24
101 Brian Bulgac (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team 1:46:05
102 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 1:46:21
103 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 1:47:11
104 Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 1:47:36
105 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre - ISD 1:49:16
106 Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol Team 1:50:13
107 Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 1:51:31
108 Matthias Brandle (Aut) Team NetApp 1:52:01
109 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team 1:52:16
110 Oscar Gatto (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia 1:52:46
111 Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli 1:53:27
112 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 1:53:36
113 Jack Bauer (NZl) Garmin - Barracuda 1:53:37
114 Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (Col) Androni Giocattoli 1:54:00
115 Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo Bank 1:55:53
116 Stefano Locatelli (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 1:56:07
117 Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Team NetApp 1:56:32
118 Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Saxo Bank 1:57:47
119 Martin Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 1:58:20
120 Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Sky Procycling 1:58:30
121 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 1:58:53
122 Ben Hermans (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan 1:59:46
123 Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 2:00:17
124 Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 2:02:21
125 Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 2:02:24
126 Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big Mat 2:05:41
127 Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia 2:09:38
128 Daniel Schorn (Aut) Team NetApp 2:12:14
129 Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 2:12:19
130 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia 2:12:34
131 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) RadioShack-Nissan 2:15:22
132 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 2:15:40
133 Gregor Gazvoda (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale 2:19:24
134 Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank 2:20:01
135 Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 2:20:27
136 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 2:20:33
137 Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 2:20:52
138 Elia Favilli (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia 2:21:28
139 Victor Cabedo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 2:22:01
140 Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Garmin - Barracuda 2:22:11
141 Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 2:22:38
142 Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Katusha Team 2:23:12
143 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 2:23:34
144 Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda 2:25:14
145 Jonas Aaen Jörgensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank 2:27:13
146 Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling 2:28:55
147 Jesse Sergent (NZl) RadioShack-Nissan 2:30:36
148 Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - Barracuda 2:31:25
149 Marco Bandiera (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 2:31:54
150 Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 2:32:33
151 Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 2:33:06
152 Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo Bank 2:36:08
153 Pierre Cazaux (Fra) Euskaltel - Euskadi 2:36:41
154 Martijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 2:36:54
155 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 2:37:26
156 Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 2:38:44
157 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling 2:39:56
158 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha Team 2:41:54
159 Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) FDJ-Big Mat 2:42:46
160 Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Androni Giocattoli 2:44:11
161 Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha Team 2:44:45
162 Svein Tuft (Can) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 2:48:28
163 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Big Mat 2:48:38
164 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Sky Procycling 2:49:11
165 Marco Coledan (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 2:52:37
166 Alex Rasmussen (Den) Garmin - Barracuda 2:58:27
167 Timon Seubert (Ger) Team NetApp 2:58:33
168 Alfredo Balloni (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia 3:01:21
169 Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team NetApp 3:02:19
170 Jack Bobridge (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 3:09:35
171 Adrian Saez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 3:09:57
172 Theo Bos (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 3:16:04
173 Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team 3:16:05
174 Andrea Guardini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia 3:19:46
175 Miguel Minguez Ayala (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 3:26:34

Follow on Twitter: ITALIANCYCJOURN

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 2,400 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.