Vincenzo Nibali retains Giro lead over Cadel Evans

VINCENZO Nibali maintained his lead over Cadel Evans after the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia was won by Giovanni Visconti.

Cadel-Evans

VINCENZO Nibali maintained his lead over Cadel Evans after the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia was won by Giovanni Visconti.

Heavy snow fell at the finish line as Italian Visconti from the Movistar team triumphed in a time of 4 hours, 40 minutes and 52 seconds to beat  Carlos Betancur and Prezemyslaw Niemiec by 42 seconds.

Atrocious weather conditions once again altered the race course which was scheduled as a 149km leg from Cesana Torinese to Col du Galibier.

After Saturday's stage was changed due to avalanche threats, Sunday's leg was also affected by the sub-zero temperatures and the final 4.25km up the famous Galibier was removed.

But given the thick sheet of snow around the riders as they tackled the final climb, and snow flakes peppering their faces, that would have been something of a relief.

Nibali held on to the leader's pink jersey when he came home in seventh to retain his 1:26 lead over Australia's Evans, who finished in the same pack in eighth.

Having broken clear of his six fellow breakaway companions on the penultimate climb up the Telegraphe, Visconti reached the Galibier with a couple of minutes on his chasers.

And the 30-year-old Sicilian held on up to the finish line at an elevation of 2301m, alongside a monument to former Italian champion Marco Pantani, before collapsing through exhaustion.

Cadel-Evans

"There are no words to describe that, I'm delighted, I'm delighted," said Visconti, who was briefly banned for three months last year due to his links to disgraced doctor Michele Ferrari.

"Today we saw who I am, not what I've shown this last year. I was born the same day as Marco Pantani, January 13. Maybe today he helped me."

Any hopes of fireworks amongst the overall contenders failed to materialise on the draining final climb.

Italian Nibali, who finished third and second in his two previous Giro d'Italia races, briefly stretched his legs but gained little and was quickly reeled back in before the favourites all came home in the same bunch.

Colombia's Rigoberto Uran is third overall, 2:46 behind Nibali.

"They were extreme conditions, I tried to shake things up at the end but it was very difficult because of the cold," said Nibali.

"It really was very cold. It was an important day but the result is good. I have a good advantage, although it would have been better if I'd gained a bit of time.

"Evans is still very close and Uran still needs to be taken into consideration."