FAENZA, Italy, May 24, 2009 (AFP) – Italy’s Leonardo Bertagnolli of the
Diquigiovanni team broke away to win the 15th stage of the Tour of Italy here
on Sunday.

Russia’s Denis Menchov of Rabobank held on to the leader’s pink jersey
after a race that took place amid soaring temperatures and featured a spirited
attack from Italy’s Ivan Basso.

Belgium’s Serge Pauwels nosed ahead of a group of pursuers on the line to
take second place, less than a minute behind the winner of the 161km course.

Bertagnolli broke clear from Pauwels with 12km to go, the 25-year-old
Belgian having been the only rider from the initial breakaway to stick with
the Italian during the closing stages of the arduous race.

Bertagnolli said: “I was relieved to find myself out on my own as I was
worrried about a sprint finish.

“With a 30sec lead I thought I’d be okay but when the gap closed I started
asking myself questions. Happily things worked out well.”

He added: “I know the road well as I live in Russo, which is only 15km from
here.”

With 40km to race, Basso launched an attack from the head of the peloton on
the slopes of Monte Casale after his team isolated his rivals with a sudden
burst of acceleration.

Basso’s compatriot Stefano Garzelli was the only man to follow him and the
duo quickly closed the gap on a group of 16 riders who had broken away within
the first hour of the race.

The gap between Basso and his direct rivals in the general classification
peaked at 1min 10sec on the approach to the summit of Monte Trebbio before
being whittled away on the road down to the rolling plains of Faenza.

The pair were eventually swallowed back into the main group with 15km
remaining.

Menchov found himself marooned without team support in the group chasing
Basso, but the Russian managed to keep his main challenger Danilo Di Luca in
his sights.

Lance Armstrong lost ground on the last two climbs but limited his loss of
time on the favourites to just one minute.

Bertagnolli’s victory was the 31-year-old’s first in the Giro d’Italia,
having been recruited by Diquigiovanni at the beginning of the month in
anticipation of the race.

His most notable successes to date include a stage win at the 2005 Tour of
Spain and victory in the 2007 San Sebastian classic.

Monday’s 16th stage, considered the race’s most gruelling, is a mountainous
237km trek through the Apennines between Pergola and Monte Petrano.

Results from the 15th stage of the Tour of Italy
on Sunday, a 161km run from Forli to Faenza:

1. Leonardo Bertagnolli (ITA) SDA 161km 4hr 18min 34sec,
2. Serge Pauwels (BEL) CTT at 0:54s,
3. Marco Pinotti (ITA) THR 0:54,
4. Lars Bak (DEN) SAX 0:54,
5. Marco Marzano (ITA) LAM 0:56,
6. Andriy Grivko (UKR) ISD 1:27,
7. Mauro Facci (ITA) QST 1:49,
8. Tadej Valjavec (SLO) ALM 1:51,
9. Eduard Vorganov (RUS) KGZ 1:51,
10. Kevin Seeldraeyers (BEL) QST 1:56,
11. Thomas Lövkvist (SWE) THR 1:56,
12. Marzio Bruseghin (ITA) LAM 1:56,
13. David Arroyo (ESP) GCE 1:56,
14. Danilo Di Luca (ITA) LPR 1:56,
15. Michael Rogers (AUS) THR 1:56,
16. Denis Menchov (RUS) RAB 1:56,
17. Stefano Garzelli (ITA) ASA 1:56,
18. Ivan Basso (ITA) LIQ 1:56,
19. Levi Leipheimer (USA) AST 1:56,
20. Jose Serpa (COL) SDA 1:56
Selected
22. Carlos Sastre (ESP) CTT 1:56,
26. Lance Armstrong (USA) AST 2:56.

Overall
1. Denis Menchov (RUS) RAB 62hr 54min 23sec,
2. Danilo Di Luca (ITA/LPR) at 0:34s,
3. Levi Leipheimer (USA) AST 0:43,
4. Franco Pellizotti (ITA) LIQ 2:00,
5. Carlos Sastre (ESP) CTT 2:52,
6. Ivan Basso (ITA) LIQ 3:03,
7. Michael Rogers (AUS) THR 3:05,
8. Marzio Bruseghin (ITA) LAM 5:26,
9. David Arroyo (ESP) GCE 6:01,
10. Thomas Lövkvist (SWE) THR 6:26,
11. Tadej Valjavec (SLO) ALM 6:49,
12. Stefano Garzelli (ITA) ASA 7:15,
13. Lance Armstrong (USA) AST 8:28,
14. Yaroslav Popovych (UKR) AST 9:00,
15. Damiano Cunego (ITA) LAM 9:43,
16. Jose Serpa (COL) SDA 9:52,
17. Kevin Seeldraeyers (BEL) QST 11:08,
18. Fredrik Kessiakoff (SWE) FUJ 14:17,
19. Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR) THR 14:40,
20. Francesco Masciarelli (ITA) ASA 17:02.