Carlos Verona claimed his first Grand Tour stage win when the Lidl-Trek rider rode solo to victory on Sunday's mountainous stage 15 of the Giro d'Italia while Isaac Del Toro retained his overall lead heading into the final week.
Stage 15 was a 219km ride from Fiume Veneto to Asiago and although his teammate Giulio Ciccone was a pre-stage favourite before being forced to abandon overnight after a nasty fall on Saturday, it was Verona who came through for Lidl-Trek.
🏅 𝐴𝑡 𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡, 𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑎#GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/LDOY5yTC7o
— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 25, 2025
The 32-year-old Spaniard has been cycling on the World Tour for 13 years, and it was just his second professional victory after winning a stage on the Criterium du Dauphine in 2022.
"I certainly didn't come to the Giro thinking that I could win a stage and I was happy with that. I was here in full support for Mads Pedersen and Giulio Ciccone," Verona said.
"Everything changed yesterday when we lost Cicco. Today is my day. I didn't want to do it for me but I wanted to do it for the team, knowing how much Giulio had worked for this race."
🎙️ "We lost Cicco yesterday. Today I was riding with him in my mind and my legs. I was pulling with all my heart for the team" - 🏆 🇪🇸 @Carlos_Verona (LTK) #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/AMpriagLbt
— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 25, 2025
Verona attacked at the foot of the final climb with 44km to go and although several riders tried to give chase, he finished 22 seconds ahead of Florian Stork with Christian Scaroni third.
🎬 Not a single second to catch our breath. An unbelievable stage from KM 0 till 219. Attacks all around, with a battle for the stage, and for the Maglia Rosa
— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 25, 2025
🎥 Highlights of Stage 1️⃣5️⃣
🎬 Non un singolo secondo per tirare il fiato. Un'incredibile tappa dal KM 0 al 219:… pic.twitter.com/bnuKROapx0
Mexican Del Toro of UAE Team Emirates retained his pink jersey and will take a lead of one minute and 20 seconds into the final week.
Simon Yates of Visma-Lease a Bike is second while Del Toro's teammate Juan Ayuso is a further six seconds behind.
Pre-race favourite Primoz Roglic finished more than a minute behind the pink jersey group after he lost ground on the final climb. The Slovenian is now 10th, nearly four minutes behind Del Toro.
STAGE 15 RESULTS
1. Carlos Verona (Lidl-Trek) – 5:15:41 (B16)
2. Florian Stork (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) – 5:16:03 (B6)
3. Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana Team) – 5:16:04 (B4)
4. Romain Bardet (Team Picnic PostNL) – 5:16:04
5. Nicolas Prodhomme (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) – 5:16:04
6. Filippo Zana (Team Jayco AlUla) – 5:16:04 (B2)
7. Gianmarco Garofoli (Soudal Quick-Step) – 5:16:07 (B4)
8. Filippo Fiorelli (VF Group Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè) – 5:16:10
9. Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) – 5:16:10
10. Max Poole (Team Picnic PostNL) – 5:16:10
11. Einer Rubio (Movistar Team) – 5:16:10
12. Derek Gee (Israel - Premier Tech) – 5:16:10
13. Richard Carapaz (EF Education - EasyPost) – 5:16:10
14. Simon Yates (Team Visma - Lease a Bike) – 5:16:10
15. Yannis Voisard (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) – 5:16:10
16. Wouter Poels (XDS Astana Team) – 5:16:10
17. Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 5:16:10
18. Davide Piganzoli (Team Polti VisitMalta) – 5:16:10
19. Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) – 5:16:10
20. Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) – 5:16:10
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 55:54:05
2. Simon Yates (Team Visma - Lease a Bike) – 55:55:25
3. Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 55:55:31
4. Richard Carapaz (EF Education - EasyPost) – 55:56:12
5. Derek Gee (Israel - Premier Tech) – 55:56:59
6. Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) – 55:57:00
7. Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) – 55:57:07
8. Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) – 55:57:43
9. Thymen Arensman (INEOS Grenadiers) – 55:57:50
10. Primož Roglič (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) – 55:57:58