Giro d'Italia Stage 15: Conegliano > Gardeccia Val di Fassa, 229kms

Jonny Hoogerland is leading a seven man escape up the day's first mountain climb to Piancavallo..

VACANSOLEIL

It's torture for the non-climbers in this Giro - Matthew Wilson is digging as deep as he can to stay near the main group...

GARMIN

Danilo Di Luca is leading a chasing group of eleven riders about two minutes down...

Russell Downing is expressing a new meaning to the word pain...

SKY

Stefano Garzelli now leads a bigger escape of about 17 riders - they will build a lead of over ten minutes...

ACQUA SAPONE

Popovych is pushing the escape along nicely, as is Emmanuele Sella...

SHACK

Phillip Deignan is in the chase group with DiLuca - and they're closing in on the escape...

SHACKESCAPE

The peloton is in gentle pursuit on the pretty Passo Cibiana...

GIROSCENERYDOLOMITES

Hoogerland has attacked from the escape group on the Passo Giau...

Juan Jose Oroz has crashed out of the race on the descent..!

GIROSCENERYDOLOMITESFEDAIEMARMOLADA

Garzelli is chasing hard - he'll catch and pass Hoogerland before the summit...

ACQUA SAPONE

Alberto Contador is near the head of the peloton as it too nears the Giau summit - eight minutes down...

GIROSCENERYDOLOMITESGIAUcontador

Joachim Rodriguez and David Arroyo have ridden away from Contador's group, but they'll be caught at the foot of the next climb...

GIROSNOW

Peter Stetina has been dropped on the Giau, but the young American can feel proud of his racing in the Giro...

GARMIN

The Passo Giau is the pictorial highlight of this Giro, so far..!

GIROSCENERYDOLOMITESGIAU

Still more Passo Giau for the group containing Contador..!

GIROSCENERYDOLOMITESGIAUCONTADOR

Sella is about to drop Di Luca in pursuit of Garzelli and a few others...

Contador is now alone against his overall rivals on the Marmolada - bt he doesn't look too stressed about it..!

GIRO. MAGLIASAXO

Garzelli nears the summit of the Marmolada alone and still in front of a few ex-escapers...

ACQUA SAPONE

The peloton squeezes through the Malga Chapele gorge halfway up the Passo Marmolada...

GIROSCENERYDOLOMITESFEDAIEMARMOLADA

Mikel Nieve has chased Garzelli down the Marmolada and has now passed him on the final ascent...

GIROEUSKATEL

One of the chasers behind Garzelli is Kevin Seeldraeyers, but he won't catch the Italian..!

QUICKSTEP

Contador closes in on the Marmolada summit in company with Scarponi, Rujano, Menchov, Gadret and Rodriguez - Nibali has been dropped...

GIROSCENERYDOLOMITESFEDAIEMARMOLADA

Peter Weening leads the chase up the final climb...

Contador is on his way to another time gain in the Giro - but he won't catch Nieve..!

GIRO. MAGLIASAXO

Nibali is dropped along with all of Contadors rivals - Kreuziger, Rodriguez, Arroyo, Scarponi...

LIQUIGAS

Contador attacks immediately...

GIRO. MAGLIASAXO

Mikel Nieve wins stage 15 - look out for this young Basque cyclist..!