Week 3 starts with a bang. Stage 15 is the longest stage of the Giro and the one with the most elevation meters. The rider will also go up the Passo di Giau, this year's Giro Cima Coppi.
Today is a day for an epic ride and we have big quality riders going for it from the off. Sivakov, Kirsch, KOM leader Roman, Brozyna, Nesset and U25 leader Areruya are in the first move. Zardini is trying to follow.
Figueiredo, Fouche, Preidler, Brkic and Inkelaar are also in this 2nd group.
We are already on the first climb of the day, the category 2 Piancavallo. Festina have missed the breakaway, but are making it real hard for everyone. Kirsch is already back in the peloton.
Festina make their move and send Mavrikakis and Giannoutsos up the road. Carboni tags along.
The strongest 3 riders so far are Areruya, Roman and Nesset. Somewhat surprisingly Preidler can't follow them. We also got word that Sivakov got a puncture just as this climb began, so he's now riding in the peloton.
Areruya isn't messing around as he easily tops this climb in 1st place. Nesset, Roman, Carboni and Mavrikakis are the other to pick up points here.
The breakaway group reforms in the valley with a 3 minute gap over the peloton. The breakaway now consisting of these 9 riders:
Areruya Preidler Roman Inkelaar Mavrikakis Giannoutsos Nesset Carboni Figueiredo
Dreadful weather conditions today, well known to the Giro with either rain or snow when the altitude reaches high enough. Like the next KOM which is won by Carboni ahead of Areruya and Mavrikakis.
The peloton pass the same point and we see Mapei and Carlsberg at the front, with some being done by Amaysim also.
The breakaway have a 4 minute gap as they start climbing Passo di Giau. At 16 km in length with a 6.4% average gradient it is the first HC climb of this Giro. 20 KOM points are on offer for the winner of this year's Cima Coppi.
Inkelaar has given what he could. His day in the breakaway looks to be over. 10 km to the top of the climb.
The peloton are going at a good pace, the group now reduced to 36 riders and only 2 minutes behind the leaders.
Giannoutsos and Figueiredo are the next riders that are going to be swallowed up by the peloton. The leaders have 5 km to the top.
Roman and Nesset cracking now as well.
Carboni accelerates and drops Preidler in the process.
Areruya wins the Cima Coppi to take 20 KOM points. Carboni and Mavrikakis are the first to follow over the top. Preidler, Roman and Nesset gather some of the minor points. The Serbian is still in the KOM lead, but Areruya is getting closer now.
The peloton reach the top around 5 minutes behind Areruya, but still two climbs and over 50 km of this brutal stage remain.
Areruya, Carboni and Mavrikakis reconvene as they start the category 2 Passo Fedaia. 13 km at an average of 8.1% and a grueling maximum of 17.8%.
The day is over for Roman, Nesset and Figueiredo. All of the big favourites are here in this group that now consists of 29 riders. Preidler is alone between the 3 leaders and the group of favourites.
An attack from the group of favourites right now! It's Guldhammer followed by Peters. No immediate response by anyone as the 4th rider in GC goes up the road.
Eastman feels like he can go as well, but the pace now does increase in the group of favourites. The last domestiques are being used up now.
Eastman's attack was short lived. Great work from Conti to bring him back. Guldhammer meanwhile has a 1 minute gap on the others. The race leaders are a further 2 minutes ahead.
That might actually have been a setup for an attack. Dombrowski doesn't get out of the saddle, but puts some serious power down. Eastman and Herklotz try to follow.
Areruya meanwhile looks to score 10 more points as he drops both Mavrikakis and Carboni.
Dombrowski and Herklotz now already catch Guldhammer.
Guldhammer losing ground quickly now. Luckily it's just 1 km to the top. Mavrikakis is also about to be caught.
Areruya won the KOM sprint ahead of Carboni, but Dombrowski and Herklotz are not far behind. Kudus and Morton have now distanced the other favourites and are on the chase.
It's mano-a-mano now. Is Herklotz playing a tactical game and waiting for Kudus and Morton? Or he simply can't follow?! Dombrowski doesn't care, he's not looking back at this point. 25 km to the finish.
We have riders scattered on this descent. Areruya and Dombrowski are the race leaders. Then Carboni and Herklotz, followed by Kudus and Morton.
The next group is then Formolo, Berhane, Mavrikakis, Chiarello and Guldhammer. Then Eastman, Meintjes, Reis. The two riders further back are Barguil and Sicard.
Areruya got a free ride on this descent as he and Dombrowski start the final climb 40'' ahead of Herklotz and Carboni. The final climb is shorter, but it's a category 1 test. Gardeccia, 6.1 km with a 9.5% average gradient that tops out at 17.3%.
Herklotz is joined by his two other main rivals, but they're leaning on the German for now.
Dombrowski is on some day today. He's extended the gap by another 15'' or so. Areruya is also still looking strong after 220 km in the breakaway!
Herklotz is not at his brilliant best today. Carboni is still here and Guldhammer, Berhane, Formolo and Chiarello have made contact.
Herklotz has increased the pace a bit to drop the others again, but Dombrowski is into the final kilometer now and holds a 1'11'' gap.
400 m to go. Areruya hasn't given up on the stage win just yet, but Dombrowski is just inching ahead. Both look to be on the limit now, it's the steepest part of the climb.
Dombrowski does take this opportunity now to celebrate. His 2nd stage win at this Giro and he's thrown the gauntlet to Herklotz!
Areruya is 2nd. An absolutely brilliant ride for him. This should see him take over the KOM jersey as well as jump up the GC standings.
Carboni also surprises everyone. He takes 3rd, a great result for him, and he takes away the bonus seconds from the other favourites. Herklotz finishes 4th at 1'26'' to Dombrowski, same for Kudus in 5th. Morton loses an extra 12''.
Berhane the crosses the line in 7th, 2'11''. Reis, Guldhammer and Chiarello complete the top 10 at 2'24''. The biggest losers today are Sicard and Barguil both at 5'30''.
Has Herklotz kept the maglia rosa? Yes, the German has still a 21'' lead on Dombrowski who looks to be his main competitor. Kudus remains 3rd, while Morton moves into 4th. Areruya makes the big jump from 13th to 7th and is the new maglia azzurra wearer. He's also taken a commanding lead in the young riders classification, but will lend on the white jersey to Bernal for now. Kemboi remains the points leader.
Minali is the one rider that failed to make the time limit today.
Giro d'Italia - Stage 15 
