Giro Stage 16 - Salò to Aprica (202km)

mewso

Into the final and tough week. So do Ineos control, Bora blow it up or Almeida pace away from everyone? Time to find out who wins the Giro starting with todays grueling 3 Cat. 1 climbs. 19km at 6%, 12.8km at 7.5% and a monster 12.7km at 8.1% (final 6km or so at 10%). Should be fun. Too late for starting odds but the usual suspects are there - Carapaz, Hindley, Landa, Yates, Ciccone, Nibali and Almeida. Break or not we should see some GC action on the final climb at least.

retalivity

Martin, Valverde & Arensman all away in the break

5th day in the break for Bais. Over 600km now overall, but I don't think today will count for the breakaway competition as I think it has to be less than 10 riders.

dastardly00

This has been a fascinating stage so far

mewso

This is a big test for Ineos right from the start. How many of them will be left by the last climb?

retalivity

Bora have got Kelderman & Kamna in the break as well, and neither are doing any work.

Ominous...

neris

stage started early?

Yeah just after 10am.

Wheel change for Keldermann there, if swear if he didn't have bad luck he'd have no luck.

EDIT: Oh wow they got back on, chapeau.

dastardly00

That fan running alongside Valverde was really annoying. Pity Hugh Carthy wasn't able to clock him properly

neris

If proof was ever needed that the Italians don't do a days work you just need to see them packing the roadside on a Tuesday afternoon 😄

dastardly00

Who is left for Ineos... I only see Sivakov with Carapaz

Edit: Rob Hatch just answered my question

retalivity

Nibbles going for a kamikaze descent??!!

dastardly00

My ears are bleeding from the sound coming from Hugh Carthy's disc brakes 😩

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119106282#Comment_119106282

The battle for 10th

dastardly00

Hilarious that this climb isn't categorised

retalivity

Stage winner is going to come from the GC group i think, break's lead is collapsing

mewso

Made for Carapaz now much as I dislike the idea.

mewso

Actually I take that back. Kamna is looking solid. Been a long day though.

Awful shame we lost the likes of Superman and Bardet.

mewso

Yeah Rob Hatch mentioned it was the same guys fighting it out again and I immediately thought except without Bardet.

Big win for Jan Hirt!!!!!

neris

Bonus seconds photo finish - gona be interesting

mewso

Almeida held on well but his problem is that the other guys will chip away at him during the week enough that the time trial won't be enough. He needs to try something or he'll have to settle for top 5. He is the one I'm cheering on here but I don't think he can do it unfortunately.

Eamonnator

And isn't it just wonderful, that Valverde was 5th and moves into the top 10 on GC.

Glory days.

retalivity

G. Martin is now 25mins back, so he's perfectly placed to take half of it back again in another breakaway tomorrow

dastardly00

The last of the grupetto have finished; about 8 minutes inside the time limit.

I'm not really one for closely following the socials so missed all this, let's hope MvdP can win another stage 😂

https://cyclingtips.com/2022/05/mathieu-van-der-poel-wont-stop-until-hes-offended-all-of-italy/

Macy0161

Cappuccino after 11 (or 12) seems to offend wannabe Italians more than actual Italians. Herbie Sykes not having a belt of the "controversy" on twitter anyway.