Gorizia (Italy) (AFP)

Forcing that paid off: the Belgian Victor Campenaerts, best known for his skills as a rider, won the 15th stage of the Giro on Sunday in the border town of Gorizia, on the eve of the great passes of the Dolomites.

Very close to the border with Slovenia, Campenaerts, who holds the hour record, signed the third victory in five days for the South African team Qhubeka.

The day his sprinter, European champion Giacomo Nizzolo, gave up pursuing the Giro by revealing his ambition for the world championship at the end of September in Belgium.

Campenaerts found himself with two teammates (Walscheid, Wisniowski) in the breakaway of 15 riders formed from the second start of the stage.

The Giro observed a half-hour neutralization following a big fall that occurred two kilometers after the start.

"We were in the initial phase, the race was not stabilized," explained its manager Mauro Vegni about this fall which caused damage.

Five riders, including the German Emanuel Buchmann, sixth in the standings, retired.

In this day of reunion with a large and enthusiastic audience during the passage in Slovenia, the tension rose in the last minutes.

Because of a heavy downpour which soaked the roadway and multiplied the risks.

Campenaerts, of great skill, avoided the fall just like the Dutchman Bauke Mollema, in a hunting group.

The Belgian was finally rewarded for his generosity: he disposed of his last companion, the Dutchman Oscar Riesebeek, who started the sprint from (very) far and was brought up well before the line.

- Bernal's confidence -

The peloton, very cautious, reached the finish line with a delay of more than a quarter of an hour.

With, in the front row, the men of the wearer of the pink jersey Egan Bernal, the "padrone" of the race seven days from the conclusion in Milan.

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However, there are still great mountain stages, starting with the climbs in the Dolomites on Monday, between Sacile and Cortina d'Ampezzo (212 km).

La Fedaia, one of the most trying passes on the peninsula, the Pordoi, the "roof" of this edition of the Giro at 2239 meters above sea level, the Giau finally, are on the program of the "tappone", the stage -Queen.

Once again, cold and rain are expected.

With a temperature of around 3 degrees at the top of Giau, which precedes the rapid descent to Cortina d'Ampezzo, the resort for the 1956 and 2026 Winter Olympics.

Bernal, who approaches the meeting with more than a minute and a half ahead of the Briton Simon Yates, warned: "It will be a very difficult stage. We will have to prepare well, mentally too. We must expect asset."

"You can't hunt behind everyone, you have to run with your head. The role of the team is important, especially in such a long mountain stage, and having an experienced team is an asset," added the Colombian. up to now the author of a clear round at the head of the Ineos team.

But, concluded the wearer of the pink jersey, mischievous eyes behind his mask, "I am confident."

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