Stage 16

The road

At the start

No Gavia, so the Mortirolo decides

Carapaz leads Roglič by forty-seven seconds after the Slovenian lost ground on the Civiglio and then slid into the barriers on the way down to Como; Nibali is third at 1:47. The Cima Coppi was to have been the Passo Gavia, but it is buried in snow and has been cut out of the route. Everything now funnels into the Mortirolo, twenty-eight kilometres from Ponte di Legno, and it is forecast to rain.

How it was won

1. 165 km to go

   Massing before the Mortirolo

   With the Gavia snowed off, all the tension funnels toward the Mortirolo; Astana inject pace over Aprica and Movistar mass at the front, Nibali plainly plotting.

2. 235 km to go

   Nibali attacks the 18% wall

   On the cruellest ramp of the Mortirolo, gradient touching 18 per cent and still 7km from the top, Nibali launches. The GC group detonates behind him and Roglič is left isolated and exposed.

3. 328 km to go

   Roglič cracks in the rain

   As the rain pours down, Roglič and Mollema are shelled out past halfway and crest the misted summit over a minute in arrears; Carapaz, with Landa committing everything, holds firm.

4. 4At the line

   Ciccone wins, Roglič bleeds time

   Giulio Ciccone picks off Jan Hirt for a second Giro win and the blue jersey; behind, Nibali has driven the knife into Roglič, but Carapaz again proves unshakeable.

The result