Isaac del Toro extends Giro d'Italia lead after recovering to win stage 17
It means the 21-year-old UAE Team Emirates rider extended his lead in the Giro d'Italia's general classification (GC) to 41 seconds over Richard Carapaz, who finished third on the stage.
Advertisement
Carapaz now sits second on GC, with Simon Yates dropping down to third at 51 seconds back.
Stage 17 took the riders over the infamous Mortirolo climb — over 12km at a 7.6 per cent gradient — whose name derives from the Italian for 'dead'. The Mortirolo was crested at 48km from the finish, before a short, sharp ascent of Le Motte as the day's conclusion.
Having lost significant time to Carapaz on Tuesday's stage, barely holding onto his Maglia Rosa, there were fears that Del Toro's lead may not last the day — which were heightened when he slipped off the back of the leading group with 1.5km of the Mortirolo remaining.
Carapaz then attacked with 500m of the climb remaining, at one point opening up a 30-second gap on the peloton, but was hauled back on the descent.
Del Toro then recovered sufficiently to launch his own attack with seven kilometres remaining, which only Carapaz had the legs to match. That move meant heartbreak for Romain Bardet, the veteran Frenchman riding his final Grand Tour, who had looked likely to survive the breakaway to collect what would have been a hugely popular final major stage win. He was joined by Del Toro and Carapaz with 5km remaining.
Del Toro attacked at the crest of Le Motte with just over 1km remaining, bursting away from his rivals on the remaining downhill to cross the line alone. His subsequent bow to the crowd, having become the first Mexican to win a Giro stage since 2002, was so low that he almost fell off his bike.
'Today I realised that I will never give up,' said Del Toro at the stage conclusion. 'I had nothing to lose. Today was not easier than yesterday, but I had a better mentality.'
If he holds his pink jersey to Rome, Del Toro will become the youngest winner of the Giro since the legendary Fausto Coppi in 1940 in what is his first Grand Tour.
Thursday's sprint stage is unlikely to shape the GC battle, but Friday and Saturday will be decisive, particularly the ascent of the Colle delle Finestre towards the end of stage 20.
(Photos: Luca Bettini/AFP via Getty Images)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Business News
3 hours ago
- Time Business News
Why ItaliaChains Has the Best Moissanite Tennis Chains (And Why Yours Keeps Flipping)
If you've ever worn a men's tennis chain that flips more than a politician during election week, chances are it didn't come from ItaliaChains. Because let's be honest — the moissanite tennis chain might be one of the shiniest pieces in men's jewelry, but not all of them are created equal. Especially when 90% of what's out there is mass-produced in China, with stones that fall out faster than your trust in gas station sushi. Enter: — the real ones behind the best handmade Italian tennis chains, made from solid 925 sterling silver, set with VVS D-color moissanite, and polished smooth like a glass of aged limoncello. Let's start with the obvious: these chains are actually made in Italy. Not 'Italy-inspired,' not 'Italy-designed,' and definitely not 'ships from Italy but made in who-knows-where.' ItaliaChains handcrafts their moissanite tennis chains in Arezzo, Italy, the jewelry capital of the country. Each link is carefully engineered and polished to lie flat and smooth on the neck — no flipping, twisting, or awkward tangling. Because what's the point of an iced-out chain if the back of it is always the part showing? Look, we're not here to throw shade — but let's call it what it is. Mass-produced Chinese tennis chains often: Use cheap prongs or glue to hold stones (not good) Don't have proper link balancing, so the chain flips like a pancake Feature stones that look shiny… until you turn on the light shiny… until you turn on the light Are plated over brass or mystery metal instead of real silver Meanwhile, ItaliaChains offers: Real VVS D-color moissanite stones — yes, they pass the diamond tester stones — yes, they pass the diamond tester Solid 925 sterling silver bases or 14k gold vermeil over silver bases or over silver Hand-set stones that won't pop out the second you sneeze that won't pop out the second you sneeze Polished links that are smooth, flexible, and made to lay flat like a pro 1. 'This moissanite tennis chain looks better than my friend's real diamonds. No one can tell the difference — not even the jeweler.' — Andre M., New York, NY 2. 'Finally, a tennis chain that doesn't flip! I've worn mine every day for two months and it still sits perfectly flat.' — Brian S., Los Angeles, CA 3. 'I bought the 4mm moissanite tennis chain from ItaliaChains and paired it with their matching bracelet. People think I dropped 10K — I let them think that.' — Jason R., Miami, FL 4. 'I compared mine to one I bought from another site. The ItaliaChains version was heavier, the stones were brighter, and it didn't turn my neck green.' — Elijah W., Chicago, IL 5. 'Customer service helped me pick the right length, and the quality blew me away. Handmade in Italy really does hit different.' — Marcus D., Houston, TX If you're looking for a moissanite tennis chain that shines like diamonds, doesn't flip like a fish, and actually lasts more than two parties, is where it's at. With real Italian craftsmanship, GRA-certified moissanite, and no middleman markup, they're delivering men's tennis chains that check every box: ✅ Shine✅ Weight✅ Comfort✅ Durability ✅ Not made in a warehouse that also sells fidget spinners Skip the hype. Go for the handmade. ItaliaChains has the smoothest, iciest, flattest moissanite tennis chains on the market — and your neck will thank you. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Wall Street Journal
10 hours ago
- Wall Street Journal
KKR Faces EU Probe Into Information Provided in $26 Billion NetCo Acquisition
The European Union opened an investigation into whether KKR KKR 1.62%increase; green up pointing triangle supplied the block's merger regulator with false or misleading information before the investment firm's multibillion-dollar purchase of Telecom Italia TIT 0.72%increase; green up pointing triangle unit NetCo was unconditionally cleared by officials last year. The European Commission approved the companies' deal in May 2024, initially ruling that KKR's bid to snap up Telecom Italia's broadband network assets for up to 22 billion euros ($25.90 billion) wouldn't affect competition in Europe. The watchdog had said the merged company wouldn't be able to deteriorate the conditions for rivals' access to services due to long-term agreements that FiberCop—a joint venture between Telecom Italia and KKR—held with several companies.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Brazil's WEG expects to mitigate most impacts from Trump tariffs
SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Brazilian motor maker WEG said on Thursday it expects to offset most of the impact from the 50% tariff U.S. President Donald Trump said he would impose on Brazilian goods partly by adjusting some export routes. Analysts have cited WEG - whose motors are used in vehicles, wind turbines and power transmission lines - among the most exposed firms to the steep tariffs, which are due to take effect on August 1. The company on Wednesday reported lower-than-expected second-quarter results, noting that geopolitical uncertainties have limited long-term visibility and led some clients to postpone investment decisions for large projects. Chief Financial Officer Andre Rodrigues suggested on Thursday the firm could use its Brazilian operations to supply countries such as Mexico and India, whose products would in turn meet U.S. demand. "The execution may take a few months, but once the change is implemented, we expect to be able to mitigate most of these impacts," he told a call with analysts, though warning the move would also depend on the levies Trump imposes on other nations. WEG has plants in over a dozen countries, including the United States and Mexico, and has touted its global presence and broad product portfolio as factors that might help shield it from the tariffs' impacts. Rodrigues said that products made in Brazil currently account for less than a third of WEG's U.S. sales. He noted that the effects on WEG's second-quarter results of the 10% tariff Trump had initially imposed in April were small, saying that the firm made some price adjustments in the U.S. to offset the impact of those levies. "Looking ahead, at this point it's not possible to have a firm stance, given the many uncertainties and volatility in the trade structures being discussed," Rodrigues added. "But if the current situation persists, WEG does have an action plan."
