Bernal extends lead on Giro’s extreme weather-shortened queen stage

Giro d’Italia pink jersey holder Egan Bernal soloed to victory on what was supposed to be Monday’s queen stage in the Dolomites, before extreme weather protocols forced the removal of two high mountains from the route. Bernal’s second stage win of the 104th edition padded his lead in the GC. Simon Yates, who started the day in second place, will still have unfinished business with the Giro, as he dropped off the podium. Bernal leads new second place Damiano Caruso by 2:24.

The Course

Race organizers made the decision to cut two of the four climbs from the course because of the terrible weather. The Cat. 1 Passo Fedaia and HC-rated Passo Pordoi, the latter of which was supposed to be the race’s Cima Coppi, or highest point of the 104th edition, were removed. Instead of 212 km, Stage 16 was 153 km. The final climb, Passo Giau, 9.8 km of 9.3 percent, peaked 18 km from the finish in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Deceuninck-Quick Step joked that it wasn’t the queen stage, but the princess stage.

The #Giro princess stage. pic.twitter.com/ora7jJyl7p

— Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) May 24, 2021

An immense breakaway headed up the first climb, with Geoffrey Bouchard adding even more points to his mountains classification lead. On the treacherous descent the break split, leaving a sextet leading on the way to Giau. Vincenzo Nibali and 13th-place João Almeida were among the six. The remainders from the earlier break were absorbed with 55 km to race.

?#Giro pic.twitter.com/Zzj9SHkhVk

— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 24, 2021

EF Education-Nippo contributed to the pace making in the peloton on the way to the 25 hairpin turns of the Giau, drawing the Nibali-Almeida break closer and dropping 7th-place Remco Evenepoel. The skies began to clear up.

EF is following the right tactic. Non-categorized ascent before Giau is real one. Making it as challenging as possible now will lead to potentially bigger time gaps on Giau. #Giro pic.twitter.com/j9knrccchf

— ammattipyöräily (@ammattipyoraily) May 24, 2021

The fugitives only had 1:50 on the pink jersey group. Antonio Pedrero (Spain/Movistar) tried to leave his breakmates, but Nibali and his teammate Davide Formolo found him. In the favourites group, Alexandr Vlasov had a horribly-timed mechanical when his rain jacket got caught in his gears.

Immediately the pink jersey group broke up. Bernal, Hugh Carthy, Giulio Ciccone, Simon Yates, Damiano Caruso and Romain Bardet were all there. Yates looked like he was struggling.

Formolo went solo until Pedrero grabbed him. Soon, Almeida was the Spaniard’s closest pursuer.

Yates lost contact with 24 km to ride. Bernal then attacked, with only Carthy able to hang with him. Pedrero’s bid to tip over in the lead seemed doomed.

Bernal lost Carthy and passed Pedrero. Caruso and Bardet climbed by Carthy.

The Colombian tipped over the new Cima Coppi 45 seconds ahead of Caruso, with Bardet a little farther back. Bardet reached Caruso and they finished 27 seconds behind Bernal.

Tuesday is the well-deserved second rest day.

2021 Giro d’Italia Stage 16
1) Egan Bernal (Colombia/Ineos Grenadiers) 4:22:41
2) Romain Bardet (France/DSM) +0:27
3) Damiano Caruso (Italy/Bahrain-Merida) s.t.

2021 Giro d’Italia GC
1) Egan Bernal (Colombia/Ineos Grenadiers) 66:36:04
2) Damiano Caruso (Italy/Bahrain-Merida) +2:24
3) Hugh Carthy (Great Britain/EF Education-Nippo) +3:40
4) Alexandr Vlasov (Russia/Astana-Premier Tech) +4:18
5) Simon Yates (Great Britain/BikeExchange) +4:20