Stage 16

The road

At the start

12.6 kilometres against the clock

Contador came out of the Dolomites leading Scarponi by 4:20 and Nibali by 5:11, and today is the only individual time trial before Milan: 12.6 kilometres out of Belluno, twisting and cobbled through the town and then straight up the climb to Nevegal. Nibali is the best of the three against the clock and the shortest way back into this race is here. Movistar ride it in mourning for Xavier Tondo.

How it was won

1. 112 km to go

   A minute for Xavier Tondo

   The race stands in silence for Movistar's Xavier Tondo before the first rider rolls down the ramp in Belluno. His teammate Branislau Samoilau answers for him by taking thirty-four seconds off the best time on the board and becoming the first man under thirty minutes.

2. 28 km to go

   Nibali fastest at five kilometres

   Nibali has attacked the cobbled streets of Belluno from the ramp, nearly putting himself into the crowd on a bridge, and comes through the check a second inside the best mark. Scarponi is nine slower. Contador, last off, is thirteenth, and is holding something back.

3. 35 km to go

   The road turns up

   Once the climb to Nevegal begins, Contador drops into a gear nobody else would choose and his legs start to fizz round at a cadence that makes him look like he is barely moving. He is not barely moving. He is taking a second a kilometre out of everyone in the race.

4. 4At the line

   Nevegal

   Contador stops the clock 34 seconds quicker than Nibali, with Scarponi another four back and Rujano a startling fourth. On the day it looks like the end of the argument; when the CAS strips his 2011 season two years later, the stage is awarded to Nibali.

The result