Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, (UAE Team), won the shortened sixteenth stage, which ended in Monte Pana, his fifth in his debut in the Giro d’Italia, the 76th in his rich history of victories in his professional career, while Colombian Daniel Felipe Martinez, (Bora Hansgrohe), returns to second place overall.
Two stages in the first week, two more in the second, and he already added one more in the last week of the corsa rosa, which catapults him to approach the best style of the “cannibal” Eddy Merckx. For now there are 5 victories and the leader’s jersey in the competition, as he said before crossing the finish line, counting the fingers of his hand to point out the five victories.
The Belgian Eddy Merckx is the absolute king of this statistic with 64 victories distributed in 24 in Italy, 34 in France and 6 in Spain, 7 behind the Italian sprinter Mario Cipollini (42-12-3) and 11 ahead of the British and still active Mark Cavendish.
The outstanding fact for Colombia is that the soachuno Daniel Felipe, managed to distance the British Geraint Thomas, (Ineos Grenadiers), and returned to second place on the podium, now with an advantage of 22 seconds, which will have to manage in the remainder of the race. Daniel finished third in the fraction, behind the young Italian Giulio Pellizzari, (VF Group Bardiani CSF), who fought for the partial victory in the last kilometer, but succumbed to the strength that Tadej brought once he started from the main group and again ended with that illusion as happened in yesterday’s stage to Nauro Quintana.
The breakaway of the day was marked by a good performance of the Frenchman Julian Alaphilppe, (Soudal Quick Step), but with 4 kilometers to go he was caught by the peloton, for the subsequent attack of Pellizzari that was also unsuccessful.
Movistar Team took control of the race, selected the group and had a short-lived positive result when he managed to make the French Romain Bardet, (dsm Firmenich PostNl), give ground allowing Einer Rubio, (Movistar Team), to gain his place, but the day was not the best for the Colombian who in the end also dropped from the leaders and failed to distance enough to Bardet, although he approached him a little in the overall, he is still in 9th place.
Pogacar continues solid with the pink leader’s jersey, and also increased the advantage with the climbers’ jersey; the Italian Jonathan MIlan, (Lidl Trek), continues with the points jersey; and the best young rider is still the Italian Antonio Tiberi, (Barhain Victorius); now the Dedcathol AG2R La Mondiale, is the best among the fight of the squads.
The seventeenth stage will be held on Wednesday 22, between Selva di Val Gardena and Passo del Brocon, over 154 kilometers, a day of high mountains.
Results stage 16 Giro d’Italia.
1 Tadej Pogacar, (UAE Team), at 2.49.37 hours.
2 Giulio Pellizzarri, (VF Group Bardiani CSF), at 16 seconds.
3 Daniel Felipe Martínez, (Bora Hansgrohe), at 16 sec.
4 Christian Scaroni, (Astana Qazaqstan Team), at 31 sec.
5.-Antonio Tiberi, (Barhain VIctrius), at 31 sec.
General classification Giro d’Italia.
1 Tadej Pogacar, (UAE Team), 59.01.09 hours.
2 Daniel Felipe Martinez, (Bora Hansgrohe), at 7.18 minutes.
3 Geraint Thomas, (Ineos Grenadiers), at 7.40 min.
4 Ben O’Connors, (Decathlon AG2R), at 8.42 min.
5 Antonio Tiberi, (Barhain Victorius), at 10.09 min.