Giro d'Italia 2025 Stage 16 recap - Isaac del Toro clings on as Simon Yates and Richard Carapaz gain in blockbuster stage

Giro d'Italia

Stage 16 | Mountain | Men | 27.05.2025

Completed

Piazzola sul BrentaSan Valentino di Brentonico

Del Toro cracks as Italy gets home winner on chaotic Stage 16, Roglic abandons

27/05/2025 at 18:46

16:55

VILA: I THINK WE DESERVED THE STAGE

Pelizzari's phenomenal performance against the rest of the GC favorites was scant consolation to Red Bull sports director Patxi Vila, he spoke to TNT Sports about Roglic abandoning the Giro and missing out on the stage win:

It was just too much.

"He’s tough, he tried with all his power but that one crash again was too much, you need to know when it’s too much and you need to stop and that was in a roundabout in Trento. That’s it.

"We need to adapt the strategy in the race and we knew Giulio was feeling good and we knew super far with two climbs, it was eight minutes but it was kind of possible we thought.

"We missed by 55 seconds I think, would’ve been perfect to have the win for the whole team, I think we deserve it but that’s how it is."

16:45

WATCH: XDS ASTANA CLINCH 1-2 FOR ITALY

The GC action overshadowed a stunning display of teammwork from XDS Astana, netting them the stage win and surely the KOM jersey overall.

Watch: Heartwarming scenes as Italian pair cross line together to seal Stage 16

Video credit: TNT Sports

16:40

WATCH: DEL TORO DISTANCED ON THE FINAL CLIMB

This is the moment the GC race exploded, though there had been enough fireworks up until that point too...

'NO NO NO! Disaster for UAE!' - Del Toro cracks amid fierce GC mountain battle

Video credit: TNT Sports

16:37

AYUSO CROSSES THE LINE

The nominal UAE Team Emirates-XRG leader crosses the line around 15 minutes from the main contenders with his Giro in tatters and the team's GC hopes hanging by a thread.

16:35

CATCH THE BREAKAWAY NOW

To get all the reaction, tune into The Breakaway now on TNT Sports 3 and discovery+ with Del Toro and Yates still to speak and Steven Cummings, Robbie McEwen and Matt Stephens picking over all the bones of such a sensational stage.

16:33

CARAPAZ: WE'RE THE STRONGEST AND WE'LL GO ALL THE WAY TO ROME

Richard Carapaz will have his maglia rosa in this life or the next! The Ecuardorian spoke to TNT Sports afterwards and Rob Hatch translated afterwards:

"At the end we knew it was a real key stage here, I think I went well and I demonstrated what I've worked, everything it's cost me to get here and be here once again.

"I think in the last few years I haven't had the aptitude, the shape to be here in this moment but that was the motivation to get myself up and go ahead and be here and try it once more.

"And good, I think we're good to give a big battle and go for it.

I think we demonstrated that we're the strongest and we'll go all the way to rome."

16:30

GIRO D'ITALIA GC STANDINGS

It's all change in the top 10:

1. Del Toro

2. S Yates +0'26"

3. Carapaz +0'31"

4. Gee +1'31"

5. Caruso +2'40"

6. Bernal +3'21"

7. Storer +3'31"

8. Tiberi +4'07"

9. Pellizari +4'36"

10. A Yates +5'08"

16:25

AND BREATHE

The finish area looks like a renaissance painting of exhaustion. Riders sitting, lying down on the tarmac everywhere you turn after a sensational stage that featured more action than some stage races provide in a week or two.

Adam Yates had a smile on his face as he crossed the line, his effort was monumental in keeping Del Toro in pink.

16:22

DEL TORO DOWN BUT NOW OUT OF MAGLIA ROSA

According to our calculations, Del Toro will remain in the maglia rosa! We think Carapaz will be about 30 seconds behind the Mexican, while Simon Yates should be in second around 25 seconds back.

It's some recovery by Del Toro who looked dead and buried when Yates dropped him, and Sean Kelly saluted the youngster on TNT Sports:

"He's not yet out and really did fight big time there in the final kilometre and limit his losses and that is all you can do. When you see the difficulty he was in a long way down this mountain.

The first time we've seen him in this difficulty in this Giro but what a battle he put in to limit his loss."

16:20

WHO HAS IT?

Yates crossed the line 41 seconds behind Carapaz, and 53 seconds ahead of Del Toro by our calculations!

16:17

PELIZZARI TAKES THIRD!

He dropped Carapaz decisively in the final kilometre, he crosses the line at +1'09" so the clock starts now...

16:15

SCARONI WINS STAGE 16 OF THE GIRO D'ITALIA

The pair cross hand in hand and Fortunato gives the stage to his domestique! It's an Italian 1-2, ending a 17-stage drought.

16:13

500M TO GO: HOW IT STANDS

Remember, Pelizzari is with Carapaz too...

Gr Carapaz +1'29"

Gee +1'52"

Gr Yates 2'17"

Maglia Rosa group +2'59"

16:10

1KM TO GO: STAGE WIN CONFIRMED FOR XDS ASTANA

Fortunato should give this to Scaroni who has worked so hard to aid his maglia azzurra tilt, they're still 1'40" ahead of Carapaz's group while Cepeda remains in between.

If Carapaz and Pelizzari can catch the Ecuardorian there will be four bonus seconds available though and they could be crucial as Del Toro has stemmed the bleeding aided by Adam Yates while Simon should slip into third.

16:08

2KM TO GO: MAGLIA ROSA WILL CHANGE HANDS

And surely it will be Richard Carapaz's! He's already overhauled Yates in the virtual GC and Del Toro can only afford to lose 40 seconds.

He's been caught up by Bernal who's giving him no help.

16:06

3.5KM TO GO: DEL TORO CRACKS

THIS IS NOT A DRILL! Del Toro has slipped off Yates' back wheel and this could be a nightmare scenario for UAE.

This will be a fascinating reverse pursuit, as Carapaz has to put two minutes into the maglia rosa and a minute into Simon Yates.

16:05

4KM TO GO: BONUS SECONDS AT PLAY?

It's only one more kilometre until the -3.7% descent, and Fortunato and Scaroni should be safe with a two-minute gap.

16:04

5KM TO GO: YATES ATTACKS

Del Toro responds to the Brit, but neither rider can match Carapaz! He's about to catch Pelizzari and they'd do well to work together - the Italian is clearly on fine form today.

They're 2'10" and 2'27" behind the leading XDS Astana pair who must be getting worried...

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