Visconti claims 15th Giro stage with strong solo performance A superb solo ride up the grueling Col du Galibier gave Giovanni Visconti victory in a weather-affected 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia Sunday, and favourite Vincenzo Nibali retained the overall lead as atrocious weather conditions once again altered the race course. Heavy snow fell at the finish as Visconti won in a time of 4 hours, 40 minutes, 52 seconds, beating Carlos Betancur and Przemyslaw Niemiec by 42 seconds. Nibali, who finished third and second in his two previous Giros, maintained his 1:26 lead over Cadel Evans. Saturday's leg was changed because of avalanche threats. Sunday's leg was also affected by the sub-zero temperatures, with the final 4.25km up the famous Galibier removed. The stage instead finished at the monument to deceased Italian cyclist Marco Pantani, whose extraordinary climb up the Galibier ultimately enabled him to win the 1998 Tour de France. It was a superb ride from Visconti, who was part of an early move before dropping his fellow escapees on the Col du Telegraphe. The race was neutralized on the category-1 climb up the Col du Mont Cenis and across into France, in what appeared to be a demonstration of solidarity among riders. Everyone rode at the same pace through the snow-filled landscapes. Pieter Weening broke clear on the descent and built a lead of about three minutes on the peloton, with a chasing group of six riders attempting to bridge the gap. The Dutchman was caught by the chasers and they had an advantage of more than six minutes in approaching the Telegraphe, although the gap had dropped to little more than two minutes at the start of the category-2 climb. Visconti made his move more than 20 kilometres from the finish and built a lead of nearly two minutes. That advantage was eroded by Weening, Stefano Pirazzi and Matteo Rabottini as Visconti looked to be struggling at the start of the Galibier. But the 30-year-old Italian dug deep and stretched his lead again. Visconti held on in the final kilometre - which had a gradient of 11 per cent - to claim a first Grand Tour stage victory. Monday is a rest day, which will be welcomed after two tough mountain stages in awful conditions. The Giro starts again Tuesday with a hilly 238-kilometre route from Valloire, France, to Ivrea.