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The ‘mini Il Lombardia’ stage 15 of the Giro d’Italia was another day for the breakaway in Bergamo, with Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) outsprinting Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) and Marco Frigo (Israel-Premier Tech) after a dramatic fight to the line.
The trio emerged at the head of a 17-man breakaway on the final climb at Roncola Alta, with Frigo battling back on the descent after dropping on the way up.
Healy and McNulty were the strongest on the late unclassified climb at Colle Aperto in Bergamo’s old town, but Frigo once again fought his way back in the closing kilometres to set up a three-man sprint.
Frigo, who made the catch 500 metres from the line, immediately launched the dash for the line, but Healy got back to his wheel as he and McNulty broke past in the closing metres. The Irishman may have looked the strongest on the day’s climbs, but it was McNulty who was the fastest finisher, nipping past at the death to secure the stage win.
“Indescribable. It was my goal coming here and then I got sick during the TT. I didn’t know what was going to happen. Today it came together and I’m so happy,” McNulty said after the stage.
“On the last long climb I tried to go. I though my race was done there because Ben was so strong. I clawed back and rested and then we played games on the flats. In the end it came down to the last kick and the sprint.
“I knew [Frigo] was coming and he ended up coming just at the right moment because we could swing over. I caught the draft and then at 150-200 metres I just went for it.
“We came here for GC and also with the goal of me having a stage win and now that’s happened, so we can fully focus on João [Almeida].”
McNulty and Frigo had launched the attacks on the 10km climb of Roncola Alta, 38km from the line, catching and passing Niccolò Bonifazio (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), who was out front after going clear on the flat run to the climb.
Healy got across just over 2km later, setting up the grand finale that would play out on the run back to Bergamo. He made his bid for victory further up the climb, but McNulty bridged across shortly after the summit. Frigo, meanwhile, put in a stunning effort on the descent and flat road afterwards to close a 40-second deficit and get back on with 10km to go.
The final hill at Colle Aperto saw Healy flying at the front once again, with Frigo again dropping back, while McNulty stuck to the EF rider’s wheel.
It looked like the stage would end with a two-man battle for victory, but Frigo was tenacious and once again managed to bridge just in time for the sprint. He was first to jump for the line, but his efforts in the chase proved too much to beat his breakaway companions, and McNulty came through to score the sixth win of his career.
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