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Nibali climbs into Giro d’Italia’s second spot after Roglič leaks time on Mortirolo

The start of a brutal final week raced in nasty conditions

The first day of the 2019 Giro d’Italia’s final week saw Roglič Primož lose time to his main rivals Vincenzo Nibali and pink jersey Richard Carapaz, as he faltered on the legendary Mortirolo climb. The stage winner, KOM leader Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo), triumphed from a two-man breakaway, the conclusion of the stage raced in miserable conditions. Carapaz leads Nibali at the top of the table by 1:47.

The Course

The removal of the Gavia from Tuesday’s route meant that Stage 16 could no longer lay claim to being the queen stage, but there was still the heavy-duty Mortirolo as the setting of the next GC battleground. Two early climbs soon after the start in Lovere led to the two Cat. 3 replacement climbs of Cevo, peaking at the 89 km mark of 194 km, and Aprica cresting at the 126 km mark. Mortirolo is 12.1 km of 10.8 percent and would peak with 28 km to go. After the descent riders finished the stage on a 13.5 km rise of 2.5 percent.


The Breakaway

Although the last breakaway on Sunday was only a duo, it was also successful. Tuesday’s escape was a typical late-Grand Tour raft of riders, 22 in all, with Nibali, Angel Lopez, Roglič, Simpn Yates and Rafal Majka’s teams all represented up front. Ciccone was also there to snaffle up KOM points, which he did on Cevo, the pink jersey group +4:50. By the time Ciccone tipped over Aprica first, the gap was 5:00.

The Mighty Mortirolo

The fugitives must have been encouraged by their 5:40 lead at Mortirolo’s foot. Astana led the pink jersey group onto the slopes, and once more Roglič was isolated. Action came from the fugitives as a quintet separated itself from the rest.

Midway up the climb Nibali attacked on the steepest section, a CCC rider from the breakaway handing the shark a bottle as he flashed by.

Carapaz, Landa, Hugh Carthy and Roglič, Bauke Mollema, and Lopez were the main chasers. EF Education First’s Brit Carthy joined Nibali. When Lopez surged Roglič lost contact. Antonio Nibali dropped back from the escape to help his brother. First Superman dashed over to Nibali as the road grew wetter, and then Landa and Carapaz made it over. Roglič was a minute behind.

Riders grabbed jackets, vests and newspapers over the top, with Ciccone getting frustrated with his racing cape and throwing it away.

End Game

Ciccone and Astana’s Jan Hirt dropped the Mortirolo in the lead. Lopez attacked over the top. Carapaz and Landa, their teammate Andrey Amador, Carthy, and Nibali crested with Roglič 1:30 in arrears. It was a white-knuckle descent in the rain.

Lopez and teammate Pello Bilbao took more risks on the wet bends than the pink jersey quintet. Before the long drag to the line began Ciccone remonstrated with Hirt to work.

Roglič, Yates and Mollema beat on in pursuit of the Carapaz-Nibali group, which nabbed Lopez. The pink jersey gang had more riders for the team pursuit on the way to Ponte di Legno, and pulled out more time on its pursuers.

Up ahead, Ciccone’s teeth were chattering before the stage win contest with Hirt, but the Italian took the well deserved victory, his second in the Giro.

Roglič lost 1:22 to Carapaz and Nibali. The Jumbo-Visma rider dropped to third in the GC. Lopez moved up to 7th from 10th, taking over the white young rider jersey as well. Majka dropped away from fourth spot to sixth; it looks like it will be a podium fight between Landa and Roglič, with Nibali vs Carapaz as the main event over the next five stages.

Wednesday’s mountains stage features a Cat. 3 summit finish on Anterselva/Antholz.


2019 Giro d’Italia Stage 16

1) Giulio Ciccone (Italy/Trek-Segafredo) 5:36:24
2) Jan Hirt (Czech Republic/Astana) s.t.
3) Fausto Masnada (Italy/Androni Giocattoli- Sidermec) +1:20

2019 Giro d’Italia GC
1) Richard Carapaz (Ecuador/Movistar) 70:02:05
2) Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Bahrain-Merida) +1:47
3) Primož Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma) +2:09
4) Mikel Landa (Spain/Movistar) +3:15
5) Bauke Mollema (The Netherlands/Trek-Segafredo) +5:00
6) Rafal Majka (Poland/Bora-Hansgrohe) +5:40
7) Angel Lopez (Colombia/Astana) +6:17
8) Simon Yates (Great Britain/Mitchelton-Scott) +6:46
9) Pavel Sivakov (Russia/Ineos) +7:51
10) Jan Polanc (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) +8:06