SAPPADA, Italy - Simon Yates made it a hat trick of wins in the Giro d’Italia on the 15th stage and the British rider consolidated his overall lead on Sunday as the race heads into its final week.
Yates set off on a solo attack with 17 kilometers remaining of the 176-kilometer (109-mile) route through the Dolomites from Tolmezzo to Sappada, after another grueling leg which had seen the riders almost continuously climbing and descending.
Miguel Angel Lopez edged out Tom Dumoulin for second to lead a group of five cyclists over the line, 41 seconds behind Yates.
Yates is clearly on a different level to his rivals and it is hard to see anyone managing to wrestle the leader’s pink jersey off the Mitchelton-Scott cyclist.
Yates extended his lead over defending champion Dumoulin to 2 minutes, 11 seconds. Domenico Pozzovivo remained third, 2:28 behind.
Monday sees the Giro’s third and final rest day before the individual time trial, which is Dumoulin’s speciality.
The Giro ends in Rome on May 27.