Giro 2023: Almeida outsprints new maglia rosa Thomas on Monte Bondone

foto: Cor VosMonte Bondone sees the first GC clash of the Giro. João Almeida outguns Geraint Thomas in a two-up sprint. Primoz Roglic crosses the line 25 seconds later, while Thomas regains the maglia rosa. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 16th stage 2023 Giro

1. João Almeida (por)
2. Geraint Thomas (gbr) s.t.
3. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 0.25
4. Eddie Dunbar (irl) s.t.
5. Sepp Kuss (usa) + 1.03
6. Ilan Van Wilder (bel) + 1.16
7. Damiano Caruso (ita) s.t.
8. Einer Rubio (col) s.t.
9. Laurens De Plus (bel) s.t.
10. Thymen Arensman (nld) s.t.

11. Lennard Kämna (ger) + 1.20
14. Andreas Leknessund (nor) + 2.42
19. Bruno Armirail (fra) + 4.24

GC after stage 16
1. Geraint Thomas (gbr)
2. João Almeida (por) + 0.18
3. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 0.29
4. Damiano Caruso (ita) + 2.50
5. Eddie Dunbar (irl) + 3.03
6. Lennard Kämna (ger) + 3.20
7. Bruno Armirail (fra) + 3.22
8. Andreas Leknessund (nor) + 3.30
9. Thymen Arensman (nld) + 4.09
10. Laurens De Plus (bel) + 4.32

Race report
A group of 17 riders jumps off the front after 30 kilometres of frantic action. Healy, Gee, Zana, Healy, Puccio, the Paret-Peintre brothers, Swift, Haig, Skujins, Ulissi, Verona, Lastra, Marcellusi, Hepburn, Tonelli, Scaroni, and maglia ciclamino Jonathan Milan are on board, while Pronskiy, Benedetti, Konrad, Champion, Mattia Bais, Gabburo, Magli, Dalla Valle and Stojnic track them down before the Passo di Santa Barbara.

Healy reaches the summit of the Passo di Santa Barbara in first position to move into the KOM lead. He pockets 4 points in the second climb.

Pronskiy and Scaroni launch a duo-attack in the Matassone climb to open up a 2.30 minutes gap in the hilly zone in the run-up to the Serrada climb. The chase group splits as soon as the road starts to go up. The Paret-Peintre’s, Haig, Konrad, Healy, Gee, Verona, Zana, Lastra, Ulissi, Puccio and Skujins reel in the attackers. Healy reaches the summit in second position to extend his KOM lead.

The peloton enters the Monte Bondone 3.30 minutes behind the lead group. Zana en Verona attack in the early slopes, but Haig, Pronskiy, Konrad, Ulissi and Paret-Pentre (Aurélien) bring them back.

The lead has fallen to 50 seconds with 10 kilometes to go. Maglia rosa Armirail can’t follow the pace in the GC group. Carthy drops back 1 kilometre later.

The GC group gobbles up the attackers inside the last 8.5 kilometres. Almeida sets the pace until only Thomas, Roglic, Dunbar, Zana and Kuss remain in his wheel.

Almeida accelerates 6 kilometres before the top. Thomas shuts down the gap 1.5 kilometres later. The two put 30 seconds into the first chasers, Kuss, Roglic and Dunbar.

Almeida outsprints Thomas for the win, while Welshmen moves back into the maglia rosa. Roglic outguns Dunbar 25 seconds in the sprint for third place.

Thomas, Almeida and Roglic sit within 30 seconds in first, second and third place.

Another interesting read: route 16th stage 2023 Giro.