Cortina d'Ampezzo (Italy) (AFP)
Egan Bernal master of the Dolomites: the Colombian dominated the 16th stage of the Tour of Italy on Monday in Cortina d'Ampezzo and consolidated his position at the top of the standings after this rainy day.
Bernal, who won solo, preceded French Romain Bardet and Italian Damiano Caruso by around 30 seconds.
The stage was shortened to 153 kilometers due to bad weather conditions and deprived of two of its three major passes, the Fedaia and the Pordoi.
In the standings, the winner of the Tour de France 2019 now has a 2 min 24 sc lead over Caruso and 3 min 40 sec over the Briton Hugh Carthy, before the second day of rest and six days before the finish in Milan.
A breakaway took shape from the first ascent of the day, in the first hour of the race.
His five survivors (Almeida, Formolo, G. Izagirre, Nibali, Pedrero) arrived at the foot of Giau with a lead limited to less than two minutes.
In the group of favorites led by the EF Education team, Bernal attacked twice and isolated himself 4 kilometers from the top of this pass culminating at 2233 meters.
If his offensive could not be broadcast live on TV screens, he rocked to the top with 45 seconds ahead of Caruso and 1 min 13 sec over Bardet.
Author of a great descent, Bardet (7th in the general classification now) took over Caruso but without being able to come back to the Colombian who took the time to take off his raincoat to cross the line with the pink jersey clearly visible.
The Italian Giulio Ciccone finished fourth in the stage, at 1 min 18 sec, ahead of Carthy and the Portuguese Joao Almeida.
Briton Simon Yates, second in the Giro at the start of Sacile, let go before Bernal attacked.
He lost more than two and a half minutes.
The Belgian Remco Evenepoel gave in for his part before the last 30 kilometers and the ascent of the passo Giau.
© 2021 AFP