Richard Carapaz delivered a searing reminder of his class with a brilliantly timed solo attack to win stage 11 of the Giro d’Italia in Castelnovo ne’ Monti, while Isaac del Toro extended his overall lead after sprinting to second place behind the Ecuadorian.
On a day that had initially looked set for the breakaway, it was the GC riders who turned the screw in the finale. Carapaz, making the most of a regrouping peloton and Lidl-Trek’s aggressive chase, surged clear with 9km to go on the final ramps of the day. He opened a gap of over 30 seconds and, despite late efforts from UAE Team Emirates, held on for his fourth career Giro stage win and his first since 2019.
“I played my cards and it went well,” said Carapaz. “We knew it could be a good stage for us. This win means a lot after all the work we’ve done preparing for this Giro. We’ve been focused on this since October. I’ll keep fighting to the end.”
Lidl-Trek rip it up, Carapaz takes advantage
The stage – 186km from Viareggio to Castelnovo – featured three categorised climbs, with the Alpe San Pellegrino midway through providing the main obstacle of the day. It was on that long drag at 8.8% where the bunch began to split, and Mads Pedersen turned road captain with a monstrous effort to close down the break.
That effort set up Giulio Ciccone for a tilt at the stage or at least a GC bonus. While the Lidl-Trek plan didn’t bring home the win, it did blow the race wide open – and Carapaz was the rider best placed to take advantage. He made his move after the catch was made and quickly forced the key selection.
Behind, Del Toro initially tried to follow, asking teammate Rafał Majka to accelerate. But when he realised he was isolated, the pink jersey sat up, prioritising team unity over chasing the win.
“I looked back and saw the gap with Caruso, and also that I didn’t have my teammates with me,” Del Toro said. “So I stopped – it’s easier to be together. Still, I had good legs and that gives me confidence.”
Photo Credit: LaPresseDel Toro’s calm control grows
The young Mexican continues to show maturity beyond his years in how he’s managing the race lead. Even when Egan Bernal briefly went on the attack on the San Pellegrino climb, Del Toro kept his cool, choosing not to react emotionally but rather let his team ride the tempo.
“I try to be smart – I’m not a smart guy but I’m trying,” he joked at the finish. “Every day I try to learn. Just seeing the jersey, the pink tape on the bars, the bike – it’s incredible. Sometimes I smile to myself just looking down at it.”
Del Toro now leads Juan Ayuso by 31 seconds, with Antonio Tiberi at 1:07. Carapaz jumps up to sixth overall, while Bernal’s attack didn’t amount to much in the end, and he remains outside the top ten.
UAE kept control in the finale despite not getting the stage win they’d hoped to let go. “We wanted the break to stay away,” said DS Fabio Baldato. “But Trek brought it back, and then it became a GC day. Carapaz did a great move – chapeau. But we’re happy, Del Toro gained six seconds and we stayed out of trouble.”
Pidcock close again, Fortunato extends KOM lead
Tom Pidcock showed resilience once again, finishing fourth after a tough battle over the final climb. The Q36.5 rider is still hunting his first Grand Tour stage win but remains upbeat. “We went for it but Carapaz was unbelievably strong,” he said. “It was one of those days that turns into a GC battle even when it’s not supposed to.”
Mountains leader Lorenzo Fortunato added to his tally by cresting the San Pellegrino and Toano climbs first and now looks secure in blue. Wout Poels, Pello Bilbao, and Luke Plapp were also active in the early moves, but Pedersen’s diesel-paced chase changed the script.
The Dane, who has already won three stages, was animated at the finish despite missing out on a fourth.
“We did what we could. Carapaz was really strong,” Pedersen said. “Cicco still got four bonus seconds – that might count later. I’m never satisfied. If there’s another chance, I’ll try to grab it.”
Photo Credit: LaPresse2025 Giro d’Italia Stage 11 result
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Main photo credit: LaPresse
