Cycling: Many cycling fans were looking forward to the stage after the second rest day. Actually, the pros should have fought over the dreaded Gavia Pass tomorrow. But snow – and even the danger of avalanches – prevent a safe crossing. Still, Stage 16 will play an important role in deciding the 2019 Giro d'Italia.
The Mortirolo is the real highlight
Old and new: The two profiles shown show the originally planned course at the top and the new route at the bottom. It's missing Passo Gavia. As early as 2013, the 2.645 meter high Dolomite Pass had to be removed from the program at short notice. Due to the danger of avalanches, cycling fans have to do without the Gavia Pass again this season. It's a shame, but it doesn't make the stage any less crucial. The planned ascent will be characterized by two mountain classifications in the third category in Cevo and Aprica replaced. In addition, the actual highlight of the day is anyway Mortirolo. With a length of 11,9 kilometers and an average gradient of 10,9 percent, it will take all riders' ambitions away when their legs are not experiencing their best moment. So even if the stage from Lovere to Ponte di Legno instead of 226,0 kilometers it is now only 194,0 kilometers long, tomorrow we will experience a real climbing festival.
All mountain classifications of the 16th Giro stage
- 3rd category: Cevo (10,6 km at 5,9%) → 104,4 km from the finish
- 3rd category: Aprica (24,6 km at 2,9%) → 65,8 km from the finish
- 1st category: Passo del Mortirolo (11,9 km à 10,9%) → 27,7 4 km before the finish
Velomotion – prognosis: Nibali has to rock the Mortirolo
Some call Mortirolo the toughest mountain in the Alps. No doubt he will be the executioner for tomorrow's stage, maybe even the Giro d'Italia. It is not uncommon for the section right after the rest day to cause surprises and twists in the overall ranking. It could also be the case tomorrow, because Primois Roglic (Jumbo – Visma) – despite considering his defect and his crash – seemed kind of knocked out. Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain – Merida) and Richard Carapaz (Movistar), on the other hand, seemed hyper. Together they have now teamed up twice against their big competitor from Slovenia. But the alliance between the Italian and the Ecuadorian will end up to the Mortirolo at the latest. Because if they manage to drive away together successfully this time, they will suddenly recognize each other as their biggest competitor. Then perhaps Vincenzo Nibali's experience and track knowledge will pay off...
☆☆☆ Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain – Merida)
* * Richard Carapaz (Movistar), Primoz Roglic (Jumbo – Visma)
* Simon Yates (Mitchelton - Scott), Rafal Majka (Bora - hansgrohe), Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana)
Giro d'Italia: The overall standings after 15 of 21 stages
01) Richard Carapaz (Movistar)
02) Primoz Roglic (Jumbo – Visma) +0:47
03) Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) +1:47
04) Rafal Majka (Bora – hansgrohe) + 2:35
05) Mikel Landa (Movistar) +3:15
06) Baume Mollema (Trek – Segafredo) + 3:38
07) Jan Polanc (UAE Team Emirates) +4:12
08) Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) +5:24
09) Pavel Sivakov (Ineos) +5:48
10) Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) +5:55