Giro d'Italia (2015) Photos; Stage 16: Pinzolo → Aprica, 174 km
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The Italian Alps and the main prize viewed from the Stage 16 start in Pinzolo		share this photo
The view from the other direction		share this photo
Race leader, Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) arriving in Pinzolo before a day of lots of climbing and off and on rain		share this photo
Fabio Aru (Astana) greeted by fellow Sardinians. The smile later disappeared when Aru lost more than 2 minutes to Contador and slipped to 3rd on GC		share this photo
The rollout from Pinzolo		share this photo
As solo escpapee Ryder Hesjedal said post race, Tinkoff - Saxo (at the front of the chase on Passo del Tonale) 'annihilated themselves' again for Alberto Contador keeping all breaks in check. Question for Contador Post Race: What do you think of your team today? A: My team-mates were extraordinary. The entire team dropped back and we worked together. My pulse rate on the flat was 180. Ahead, they were riding at full gas to open a gap. When I saw that that Astana were organised ahead, I knew I'd start the Mortirolo with a time deficit. When we started the Mortirolo, we were putting out an incredible number of Watts. My team took control on Day 1 of this Giro d'Italia, and I think people forget it.		share this photo
The front of the race with Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto NL - Jumbo), Alberto Contador (Tinkoff - Saxo), Mikel Landa (Astana) leading it over Passo Mortirolo with 33 km to go		share this photo
Question for Mikel Landa Post-Race: Did you ever think of attacking along on the Mortirolo? A: To tell you the truth, I had a lot of respect for Aprica. There are sidewinds in the valley, and the gradient isn't very high, so it doesn't really suit me. We tried to force the pace before the Mortirolo to make Alberto suffer so that catching us would cost him energy. After Alberto had caught us, I saw that Aru wasn't strong, they told me to go ahead and try to win the stage. The rest, you know.		share this photo
The lead group passing through the crowd on cat 1 Passo del Mortirolo (11.9 km, avg 10.9 %, max 18 %)		share this photo
Less than a minute back, Ryder Hesjedal (Cannondale - Garmin) and Youri Trofimov (Katusha)		share this photo
Andrey Amador (Movistar) passing through color coordinated smoke		share this photo
Fabio Aru's (Astana) GC hopes when up in smoke today		share this photo
Close up: Fabio Aru's day summarized in one photo		share this photo
Fabio Aru on Passo Mortirolo		share this photo
Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto NL - Jumbo), Alberto Contador (Tinkoff - Saxo), Mikel Landa (Astana) cresting the top of over Passo Mortirolo		share this photo
Mikel Landa's (Astana) winning attack with 4km to go on the Aprica finishing climb		share this photo
Mikel Landa (Astana) had the luxury to follow Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto NL - Jumbo) and Alberto Contador (Tinkoff - Saxo) for the later half of the race		share this photo
Andrey AMADOR (MOVISTAR) and Yury TROFIMOV (KATUSHA) finished 5th and 4th respectively + 2:03 while Ryder HESJEDAL (CANNONDALE - GARMIN) was 6th + 2:10 to move into the top 10		share this photo
Fabio Aru (Astana) by his lonesome on Aprica		share this photo
Mikel Landa (Astana) stretching out his lead on Aprica		share this photo
Alberto Contador (Tinkoff - Saxo) and Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto NL - Jumbo) have given up their hopes of a stage win. They finished 38s back of the winner...		share this photo
Mikel Landa (Astana) makes it two (mountainous) stage wins in a row and is the first repeat winner after the race started with fifteen different winners		share this photo
Mikel Landa (Astana) crosses first in Aprica		share this photo
Finish perspective		share this photo
		share this photo
2nd Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto NL - Jumbo) and 3rd Alberto Contador (Tinkoff - Saxo) + 38s		share this photo
7th Fabio Aru (Astana) + 2:51 and now 3rd overall + 4:52		share this photo
Your Stage 16 winner, Mikel Landa (Astana). Q: If you had not had to work for Aru, could you be winning this Giro d'Italia? A: If I'd come as a leader, it's possible I wouldn't have achieved anything at all. You never know. This situation is new for me, what's happened has happened, and we'll see how it ends.		share this photo
Race leader relief		share this photo
He looked in trouble early in the stage, but Alberto Contador (Tinkoff - Saxo) stood tall at the end		share this photo
It was a tough stage as you can see it in his eyes, but there is nobody tougher than Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo). He stretched his lead out to 4 minutes today. Q: How do you feel about your performance in today's stage? A: I feel proud to have been a protagonist today. It was a very difficult stage. Everything was going perfectly until my puncture on the descent from the Aprica. Basso gave me a wheel but it took time to change and by then I was in a chasing group. I knew that the most probably scenario would be what happened. I'm not going to debate whether it was correct or not.		share this photo
Q: What were you thinking at the foot of the Mortirolo? A: The problem wasn't so much starting the climb behind, but the fact that the previous descent finished 10km before. I knew how hard it would be: I had 45km to go, during which I couldn't afford to have any problems - mechanical problems or crises. On the Mortirolo, I rode at my rhythm. I knew it was a time trial. I couldn't allow myself to lose my calm. After I changed wheels with Basso, I rode the Mortirolo using a gear ratio of 34-30.		share this photo
Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto NL - Jumbo) is the new KOM leader		share this photo
Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto NL - Jumbo) continues to move up the GC and is now 8th overall + 11:40		share this photo
Giro d'Italia (2015) Photos; Stage 16: Pinzolo → Aprica, 174 km
« Stage 15 photos	return to: « Giro d'Italia 2015 Dashboard  |  Giro d'Italia (2015) photo gallery	Stage 17 photos »