Dversnes wins Giro stage 15 as final lap neutralized

Stage 15 of the Giro d’Italia ended with a surprise victory from a breakaway rider and a decision to neutralize the final lap for the overall classification after riders complained about dangerous road conditions. Norwegian cyclist Fredrik Dversnes of UnoX Mobility won the 157-kilometer flat stage from Voghera to Milan on Sunday, outsprinting three Italian riders in a four-man breakaway group. Mirco Maestri finished second and Martin Marcellusi third, with Mattia Bais also in the group.

The peloton, widely expected to catch the break and set up a bunch sprint, allowed the four leaders to build a lead of more than two minutes and never fully closed the gap. Dversnes, 29, described it as the biggest win of his career. “This was my big shot,” he said. “You always think about the win on the way, but when we had two minutes lead pretty late in the race, you of course start believing.” He collapsed after crossing the line in a time of three hours, three minutes and 18 seconds.

The stage was marked by a decision from race officials to alter the general classification rules midway through the final circuit. Several riders, including overall race leader Jonas Vingegaard, complained to...