Giro d’Italia: Egan Bernal wins shortened stage 16 to extend overall lead

Colombian Egan Bernal won stage 16 of the Giro d’Italia on Monday to strengthen his grip on the overall leader’s Maglia Rosa, as bad weather conditions forced the race from Sacile to Cortina d’Ampezzo to be shortened from 212km to 155km.

Cold, wet and snowy conditions led to the decision to shorten the stage as two high-altitude climbs at the Fedaia and Pordoi passes were cut from the race.

But the Ineos Grenadiers rider battled against the elements to finish 27 seconds ahead of Frenchman Romain Bardet and Italy’s Damiano Caruso.

“I wanted to put on a show. This is the kind of cycling I like, when it’s wet and cold and you need grit,” Bernal said.

“I wanted to do something special. It’s risky but I thought I could do it, and the team believed in me.”

Bernal now has a lead of two minutes and 24 seconds over second-placed Caruso in the general classification rankings.

British Maglia Rosa hopeful Simon Yates lost two minutes and 36 seconds on Bernal in the Dolomites, finishing 11th in the stage to fall from second to fifth overall, four minutes and 20 seconds behind the Colombian.

Bernal now has a lead of two minutes and 24 seconds over second-placed Caruso in the general classification rankings.

Britain’s Hugh Carthy and Russia’s Aleksander Vlasov are third and fourth, with gaps of three minutes 40 seconds and four minutes 18 seconds respectively.

Reuters