Good morning and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia
A new Giro starts here. We've had the opening skirmishes, the early time trial, the tentative first summit finishes, the sprints, and a couple of unexpectedly explosive afternoons in the hills. But it's now time for the mountains. The proper mountains, and the proper mountain stages.
The riders have all signed on and are gathered on the start line. We'll soon be rolling, with the race proper set to be waved underway at 11:15 local time.
... and the signature check is open! 🔥... e il foglio firma è aperto! 🔥#Giro pic.twitter.com/3R7ncQLaamMay 24, 2022
We're moving. Some nervous faces in the neutral zone. Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) wears the pink jersey as overall leader and he and his rivals face a major test in the battle for the Giro title. We then spot sprinters such as Mark Cavendish, who face a torturous day in the saddle. They'll be fighting just to make it within the time limit today.
Before we get going, now's the time to have a read of Stephen Farrand's final week preview
A little bit about today's route, before we hit it in what's sure to be an explosive start...
Today's stage is packed with difficulties but it's also laced with history. The Valico di Santa Cristina has been designated the Montagna Pantani (Pantani mountain), an annual tribute to the late former Giro winner. That climb and the finish in Aprica (plus the Mortirolo) replicates one of Il Pirata's most famous exploits, when he blew the 1994 Giro open and put Miguel Indurain to the sword.
We're already climbing through this neutral zone. Brutal.
We're a little behind schedule and still in the neutral zone but we're not far away now. The riders who are keen to make the breakaway are up in the first positions behind the director's car.
We reach kilometre-zero but we've stopped...
This looks publicity-related. There are no race or safety issues. But the riders are being made to unclip and wait at a standstill, extending the apprehension.
We're off!
Mathieu van der Poel is one of them. Obviously.
Thomas De Gendt is interested here but so are many other riders. It could be a huge fight for the break today.
Mark Cavendish is on the move too. Damage limitation for him, simply looking to give himself some sliding room. His real goal for the day is simply to stay in the Giro and it could be a big ask.
Cavendish, Van der Poel, and De Gendt are in a six-man move at the head of the race. The other riders are Pascal Eenkhoorn, Chris Juul-Jensen, and Nans Peters.
A chasing group is reeled in by the peloton and now we see new attacks.
Bora-Hansgrohe send a rider on the attack. They have Jai Hindley second overall and have already shown their willingness to use tactics and numbers to open this race up. Any rider in the break could be a useful pawn for later in the day.
Landa's Bahrain Victorious teammates have the same idea and Wout Poels is looking to get away now.
Ineos don't usually employ that tactic and are likely to try and control the peloton and pink jersey group today, as they defend the pink jersey on Carapaz's shoulders.
The Cavendish group has 23 seconds in hand and putting in a good shift here with no shortage of accelerations behind.
The gap goes out to 40 seconds and now there's a lull in the peloton.
The peloton spreads across the road. They're taking their foot off the gas and letting this breakaway go.
But the ceasefire doesn't last long. Diego Rosa attacks with a Bardiani-CSF rider.
It strings out but another lull now.
We've done 15km and so far we have a curious six-man breakaway with a lead of 55 seconds but it's not settle yet and we'll be going up a serious climb before long.
As things hang in the balance, we're heading towards our first uphill section at kilometre-30. That's not the first climb, with the Goletto di Cadino starting at around KM40.
There'll be plenty of non-GC climbers and GC pawns looking to attack but they may well wait for the climb now.
The pace is still high in the bunch and now a counter-attack group clips off the front of it.
The counter-attack can't get organised and fizzles out.
A reminder of the six riders in this early breakaway (although we're likely to get a reshuffle on the first climb)
171km to go
We're on the uncategorised kick up ahead of the first climb. It's all been all uphill so far but the gradient ramps up a notch.
Poels and Vanhoucke close to within 35 seconds of the six-man break. The peloton is at 55 seconds.
Vanhoucke drops Poels
Cavendish did plenty to kick this breakaway on earlier but he's sat on the back now already just trying to hang on.
Poels is caught and Vanhoucke's time is nearly up as more accelerations blow open the peloton.
This climb is biting and doing some real damage here! Some big names in a big group threatening to split off.
It's kicking off here and the six leaders are being reeled back in. They only have 18 seconds now.
167km to go
Nine riders have gone clear in a counter-attack. It was drive away by Trek-Segafredo who have two riders in there.
It's Dario Cataldo with compatriot and neighbour Giulio Ciccone in his wheel.
We also have Carthy, Valverde, Kamna, Arensman and more. A high-class group.
Another counter-attack from the bunch now. Sam Oomen is there for Jumbo. Formolo goes in another group behind.
The Carthy/Valverde/Arensman/Ciccone counter-attack reaches the group at the front of the race.
Cavendish is dropped
Ineos are desperately trying to keep a lid on this but it's all over the place here.
A reminder that we've not even hit a categorised climb yet.
Carapaz is following Sivakov but Ineos don't have numbers here
So we now have an expanded breakaway (full names to follow shortly) with a small lead over a peloton that's reduced but no longer properly blown apart and starting to reform.
Juul-Jensen attacks and is alone at the head of the race for a brief time but is reeled in.
Guillaume Martin - 10th overall - got across to that break with Formolo.
A few more riders have got across from being in the middle. Full composition to come but we have at least 20 riders there.
Kelderman has made it across to make it two for Bora and so too has Simon Yates
160km to go
More riders ping off in search of this breakaway. Mountains classification leader Koen Bouwman (Jumbo-Visma) is next.
Van der Poel and De Gendt (two of the originals) are dropped from the break now.
Ineos have regained some semblance of control. They have three riders with Carapaz at the head of the bunch.
It's far from settled here. Plenty of riders in between this big break and the reduced peloton.
Ineos in fact have plenty of riders with Carapaz. Narvaez is on the front and they still have Swift, Porte, Sivakov, Tulett there.
The best-placed GC rider in this break is Guillaume Martin, who's 10th at 8:02. We have seven riders from the top 20... Valverde (11th), Kelderman (13th), Arensman (15th), Ciccone (16th), Carthy (18th), Fortunato (19th) are all here as well.
This is how this climb looks. We're still nearly 15km from the top.
Ineos are chasing at 50 seconds.
The lead group splits briefly
Jan Hirt is here for Intermarché - not Taaramae. He's 12th overall so that's 8 riders from places 10-20 on GC.
The lead group reforms and looks to be settling down
154km to go
These are the riders in the break
Peters is dangling off the back
And here's the breakaway composition with full names and teams.
148.5km to go
Cataldo looks to drive the break on for Ciccone.
Peters is still dangling and so is Juul-Jensen.
This is a big turn from Cataldo. The gap to the peloton goes out above two minutes.
147km to go
Peters, Juul-Jensen, Eenkhoorn, Zana, Bais are dropped.
Formolo takes it up now and calls for cooperation.
A short dip downhill takes us into the final couple of kilometres of this climb.
Into the final kilometre of the Galetto di Cadino and this is now about mountains points. 40 on offer and we have the blue jersey of Bouwman here who'll surely look to hit out. Diego Rosa is second in that classification but not in this break. The closest to Bouwman (109 points) is Ciccone (58 points).
Moniquet seems to be interested too. He hits the front.
Formolo also has 25 points on the board and appears primed to sprint here.
Here we go! Ciccone rips away and Bouwman responds.
Ciccone takes it impressively and Bouwman can't get round and has to settle for second. No one else contests it.
142km to go
5 riders were dropped from the break towards the top of the climb. A strong descent might just get them back in.
Ben Tulett leads Ineos and the bunch over the summit. He did almost half of that climb on the front in what seems to be another really impressive ride from the youngster.
Ineos are in control here. Puccio has been dropped but they still have Tulett, Narvaez, Swift, Sivakov, Castroviejo, and Porte alongside Carapaz.
Bais crashes on the descent. He takes far too much speed into a corner and is lucky not to head into a ravine. He's back on his bike but has lost a fair bit of distance.
The riders are nudging 100kph now. It's a varied descent with fast sections, hairpins, twisty blind stuff, pedalling stuff, and narrow stuff. It's a real test.
Zana - who was leading Bais into that corner where he crashed - makes it back to the break. Bais is at 38 seconds, Eenkhoorn at 1:10, Peters at 1:30, and Juul-Jensen back in the peloton.
We've got more than 20km of descending here before hitting the valley.
Mechanical for Kelderman, who needs a new wheel from neutral service. He'll likely change bikes in the valley.
Kelderman has lost a minute due to that mechanical. That could be a blow to Bora's ambitions.
Kelderman and Bais are chasing together at a minute.
120km to go
119km to go
And now Swift leads the peloton into the valley. You sense this is his big job - 30km in the valley to keep the pace high and peg this still-dangerous breakaway, where plenty of riders will be wanting to skip turns.
Kelderman and Bais are chasing at 50 seconds now. This is a real blow to Bora's carefully-laid plans for the day. Even if Kelderman can get back in this will cost him precious energy that might have been used to serve Hindley later.
Riders are grabbing supplies in the valley.
Cataldo is the main pusher of the pace in this break but the likes of Valverde and Yates aren't shy to do their bit.
108km to go
Kelderman has stopped asking Bais for turns and is closing this on his own now. He's going to make it as well. They can see them.
105km to go
A reminder of the riders in this breakaway
The cooperation has really drained from the break and they're attacking each other.
It has split in two. Up front: Valverde, Arensman, Hamilton, Kamna, Bouwman, Rota, Poels, Cataldo.
Yates attacks from the second group, who are all now waving their arms at each other.
This leading breakaway group has found 38 seconds on the rest, who will be kicking themselves.
95km to go
If the peloton is slipping a little, it's because Richard Carapaz is coming back through the cars after a stop.
A reminder of the overall standings at the start of the day. We have nine riders from positions 10-21 between these two breakaway groups.
The gap between the breakaways balloons to 54 seconds.
Hamilton is driving the pace at the head of the race, in the interests of his teammate Arensman.
89km to go
Cataldo drops away. Has he been called back for Ciccone?
The gap is 1:10 for the remaining seven riders at the head of affairs.
86km to go
Bais has been dropped from the second breakaway group.
Hamilton drifts off the front of the lead group. It looks accidental. It seems Arensman lets the wheel go to start to put a little pressure on the rest of the group. They've had a bit of a free ride thanks to DSM's superior numbers.
85km to go
This is what the riders are facing now.
A reminder that this is the so-called 'easier' side of the Mortirolo, although it's still a cat-1 climb and still boasts some pretty fearsome stats. It's not, however, the savage side made famous by Marco Pantani in 1994, although we will have the final climb and finish in Aprica replicating his famous raid from that year's Giro.
Rota dropped from the first breakaway group.
Cataldo's work is done after a push on the approach.
The first drops of rain are falling.
Swift has disappeared for Ineos after a big stint. Narvaez takes it up.
Astana take it up!
Astana are led by Vincenzo Nibali, 8th overall at 2:58. He's been resurgent at this Giro, especially since announcing his retirement.
Carthy, Hirt, and Ciccone are still some 40 seconds behind the leading six.
Hamilton continues to set the pace at the head of the race. Big ride from the Aussie so far.
Astana have six riders on the front as they continue to reduce the peloton and impose their own rhythm on the Mortirolo.
Martin, Yates, Kelderman, and Fortunato are now chasing together as a quartet a minute behind the front of the race.
We're 6km from the summit of the Mortirolo, so about half-way up. Hamilton continues to lead with Arensman, Valverde, Bouwman, Kamna, and Poels.
The chasing trio has closed to 20 seconds but Ciccone is losing the wheel of Carthy and Hirt.
Carthy makes contact with the head of the race. He's looking strong here. Hirt loses the wheel at the end but also claws his way on. Ciccone has fallen away quite dramatically.
76km to go
Hamilton's work is done. He peels off after a mammoth ride today in service of Arensman.
2km from the summit and seven plough on at the head of the race.
Astana are leading the peloton but are not really doing much. They're not reducing it really and they're not really making any inroads on the lead group. The gap is still just over 5 minutes.
Bouwman takes it up at the front now. He should be able to help himself to the points at the summit, with Ciccone further down the mountain.
Carthy shouts and then waves his arm out at a spectator who was running in the road.
Into thicker crowds now and towards the summit. Bouwman predictably skips away.
No one challenges Bouwman, so he takes 40 points ahead of Kamna and Arensman. Bouwman therefore extends his lead in the mountains classification.
72km to go
Big acceleration from Astana!
They weren't doing much damage but a big surge from Dombrowski and in an instant the lead group reduced dramatically.
De la Cruz laid the foundations and Dombrowski is now taking it up on the upper slopes of the Mortirolo, with one other rider with Nibali, who is an expert descender.....
Mechanical for Richie Porte! Not a good time for that.
Sivakov is the only rider left with Carapaz. In the blink of an eye the race leader has been reduced to one teammate.
The pink jersey group is pretty small now. Almeida is near the back.
To the top and Nibali takes it up in anticipation of the descent. That will strike fear into his rivals.
They crest at 4:35, having taken 40 seconds out of the lead group on the top couple of kilometres of the Mortirolo.
Crash. Pozzovivo - 5th overall - is down on this tricky descent. Not a bad one but he loses a bit of time.
Carthy is having trouble and has been distanced by the lead group.
Nibali is away!
Carapaz sets out in pursuit.
Landa is over to Carapaz and they're heading down a few seconds behind Nibali.
There are only around 10 riders trailing from the GC group that was shattered by Astana at the top of the Mortirolo
Carthy has made it back towards the tail of the lead group.
Disc brakes are taking an absolutely hammering here. The mountain air is filled with the sound of screeching metal.
Carapaz has made it over to Nibali in a small pink jersey group.
With a stint in the valley to come, Nibali maybe never wanted to be alone. As for trying to drop a few riders and perhaps force some mistakes...
Sivakov hits the front for Carapaz as Ineos look to regain some control.
58km to go
We have 15km in the valley now on gentle roads, then a short uncategorised climb at Teglio, then a drop down to the foot of our final climb.
Nine riders in the pink jersey group: Carapaz, Sivakov, Nibali, Hindley, Buchmann, Landa, Bilbao, Almeida, Formolo (who'd been in the break)
But they're sitting up now and more riders are going to come back any moment.
Ineos regain control. Narvaez, Porte, and Castroviejo all make it back on the descent and now hit the front en masse.
The gap between lead group and peloton is 5 minutes and the leaders will be starting to grow hopeful of the stage win.
One man who's not back in is Pozzovivo, who is losing a minute here after his crash on the Mortirolo.
47km to go
The chase group is slipping back. It doesn't look like it'll be their day today.
Pozzivivo is back in the pink jersey group now.
35km to go
The climb officially measures 5.6km at over 8%.
This is a horrible little climb but we're not seeing any proper action on it. It looks like both groups are content to get to the big final climb and settle things there.
As I write that, we do get some action. Arensman forces the pace in the lead group and Bouwman is dropped.
Astana popped a rider on the front for the approach to this climb and he's carried his effort onto it as the Kazakh team look to assert themselves over Ineos. It's Vadim Pronskiy.
Carthy is now leading the way up front and looking really good. These big, bruising, elevation-laden days suit him well. He's been inconsistent at this Giro and has lost his GC possibilities but he does have a queen stage win like this in his locker.
Arensman - not known for steep climbing - is also looking good, and Valverde looks really composed. Hirt, Poels, Kamna look less at ease.
The remnants of the chase group are drifting back to the bunch. Ciccone, Yates, Martin, Kelderman all now back. Only Fortunato is left in between.
We're coming towards the top of this climb - or non-climb - now and we'll have an intermediate sprint. This carries bonuses of 3-2-1 seconds for the top three.
A reminder of the overall standings at the start of the day
30km to go
Martin is dropped. The yo-yo man was in the break and looked like he might just claw back some more time today but he's going the other way now, and we're not even on the final climb, so this could be a damaging day for his top 10 hopes.
Bahrain have taken over at the head of the peloton. Good to see other teams taking the race to Ineos today.
We're zipping downhill now towards our final climb, the famous Valico di Santa Cristina. From the top, it's a dip down to the finish at Aprica and it's the scene of Marco Pantani's famous raid from the 1994 Giro.
Bahrain's recent forcing has taken a chunk out of the break's advantage. It's coming down towards the three-minute mark now and the stage win is very much in the balance.
Kamna has continued to take the initiative downhill and has opened a gap.
20 riders left in the pink jersey group.
This is what's in store on our final climb
Kamna has found 30 seconds here as he prepares to hit the climb!
Valico di Santa Cristina begins
Poels is dangling off the back. He's losing contact.
Poels might be being called back. Bahrain have four riders forcing at the head of the peloton and they might want Poels back to do a turn on the lower slopes of this final climb.
Kamna has taken his lead out to 50 seconds now. Wow.
Kamna already has a win at this Giro, atop Mount Etna in the opening week. Is he heading for an extraordinary double?
The GC group is still 3:20 down and Kamna is holding them off despite Bahrain's pace-making.
Carapaz has Castroviejo, Sivakov and Porte with him, behind the leading Bahrain quartet.
We wondered whether Bora were firing Kamna and Kelderman into the break as pawns for Hindley, who's second overall. But Kelderman is already long back in the bunch and Kamna is clearly out for the stage win here.
15km to go
Bahrain are down to three and still leading. Novak was the rider who just finished his turn. Buitrago and Bilbao are the riders with Landa.
Nibali loses Dombrowski and is now alone.
Hindley has Buchmann with him.
Bahrain are back up to four. They've found Poels from the break.
Castroviejo is dropping now.
13.5km to go
Juan Pedro Lopez has been dropped. He's ninth overall still but could be starting to really slide today.
Buchmann dropped! He started the day seventh overall at 1:58, and was a key part of Bora's approach.
Arensman has quickly found 30 seconds on Carthy, Valverde, and Hirt.
Hirt attacks as the steep section starts on the second half of the climb
A reminder of the stiffer gradients on this top section
Pozzovivo dropping!
Only 10 riders left in the pink jersey group as they hit the steeper stuff.
Make that 9. Buitrago ends his turn and hands over to Poels.
The pink jersey group contains: Poels, Bilbao, Landa, Sivakov, Porte, Carapaz, Hindley, Almeida, Nibali.
11km to go
Carthy drops Valverde! They'd slipped to a minute behind Kamna and 30 seconds behind Arensman, with Hirt a little further up the road from them too.
Porte dropped!
Carapaz down to just Sivakov as Bahrain's forcing has the desired effect.
Crash! Bahrain riders down
Landa and Bilbao crash into each other going uphill. Incredible.
The pair overlap wheels and Bilbao hits the deck, while Landa has to unclip. Bizarre scenes. It had been going so well for them.
10km to go
Bahrain have regathered. Bilbao got back on. But that took the wind out of the sails of that group for a brief while.
Bahrain ramp it up again. Poels on the case.
Bilbao drops and now Poels pulls aside. Landa on the front!
Landa accelerates, Carapaz follows. Hindley there too. Gap to the rest. Here we go!
Landa is in the drops and out of the saddle a la Pantani, who this climb is named after at this Giro.
Nibali is trying to claw his way back but the strongest three at this Giro look quite clear.
Up front, Kamna is losing ground. Arensman and Hirt are together and 15 seconds back.
Nibali is chasing with Almeida, several seconds behind Landa, Carapaz, and Hindley.
8.6km to go
Arensman attacks immediately on a double-digit section.
Kamna is cooked. Hirt is managing to stay with Arensman.
Hindley takes it up and Carapaz accelerates now
But Hindley accelerates once again. These three are well matched.
7.9km to go
Almeida drops Nibali and chases several seconds behind the pink jersey trio.
The pink jersey trio sweep past Carthy. They're just 1:35 down on the head of the race now.
Almeida is slipping back once more. He ground his way back towards that trio but is sliding again.
6.9km
Almeida just does not take no for an answer. So dogged, so stubborn. He's coming back again.
Hirt heads through the fans at the top of the climb. He hast 15 seconds on Arensman who's not giving up and not out of it with 6km to go to the finish from the summit.
Carapaz, Landa, and Hindley are riding together here. They'd all like to put some time into Almeida.
The pink jersey group move past Valverde now on the upper reaches. They're 1:20 down still and won't be contesting for stage honours.
6km to go
Hindley kicks on towards the summit.
Hindley leads the pink jersey over the top and Carapaz comes through for the descent. Valverde has hung on.
The roads on this descent are patchy and wet.
3.5km to go for Hirt. He loses a few seconds.
Hirt nearly loses it! Arensman still has a chance. Plenty of tight bends here made treacherous in the rain.
Almeida is chasing the pink jersey group at 15 seconds
2.5km to go
The road will soon kick back up
This is the finale
1.3km to go for Hirt, just the last little bit of descent to cover. He has 10 seconds.
1km to go
Hirt springs out of the saddle, he can taste victory now.
He's taking it all the way. Out of the saddle once more. At the scene of Pantani's famous exploit, Hirt is about to celebrate his own.
Jan Hirt wins stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia
Arensman takes second place at 10 seconds.
Carapaz, Landa, Hindley, Valverde together and approaching the line now. Third place and four bonus seconds still on the line...
Landa on the front but Valverde opens up the sprint...
But Hindley hits out and moves in front. Carapaz challenges but Hindley holds on!! That would cut Carapaz's lead to three seconds
Almeida trails home in seventh, but limiting his losses really well.
Nibali is next home, shipping just over 30 seconds.
Results
Here's the first winner shot
And now we can hear from the winner
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