Almeida and Thomas move clear at top on brutal Giro mountain stage

It was the first day in the mountains that created big gaps between the overall contenders at the Giro d’Italia, with Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) winning the stage and Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) moving into the pink jersey as the pair moved into positions of strength on the overall standings.

MONTE BONDONE, ITALY - MAY 23: João Almeida of Portugal and UAE Team Emirates - White best young jersey celebrates at finish line as stage winner during the 106th Giro d'Italia 2023, Stage 16 a 203km stage from Sabbio Chiese to Monte Bondone 1642m / #UCIWT / on May 23, 2023 in Monte Bondone, Italy. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images,) Credit: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images,

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It was an attack by Almeida off a furious pace set by Australian teammate Jay Vine with just over five kilometres remaining to the Monte Bondone summit finish that precipitated the winning move. Almeida hung off the front of an elite group containing Thomas, Eddie Dunbar (Jayco-AlUla) and Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma), with Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) doing the majority of the work to keep his team leader in contention.

Thomas, sensing weakness, jumped away from Roglič to link up with Almeida, the pair forging clear at the head of the race. It looked like a crisis for the three-time Vuelta winner who only had Kuss and Dunbar for company, but he managed his effort and only lost less time than he might have.

The pair at the front worked well together and it came down to the final sprint to the summit for stage honours, with Almeida getting the better of Thomas in the grovelling dash to the line, leaving Thomas with the consolation of taking back the pink jersey.

"I'm super-happy, it's a dream come true," said Almeida, celebrating his first Grand Tour stage win. "After four years [at the Giro] I was always so far and so close at the same time. Finally, I got it so yeah I'm super, super happy."

Almeida sits 18 seconds behind Thomas in the general classification, with Roglič crossing the line 25 seconds later for third place, salvaging four bonus seconds, and staying within striking distance of pink at 29 seconds in arrears. Dunbar was the only other rider who survived the first big pink jersey climbing of this Giro, taking fourth place in Roglič's wheel.

For the Australians, Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious) was one of the strongest riders in a breakaway that got clear in the early stages, though the peloton weren’t giving the Australian or fellow general classification threat Aurelien Paret-Peintre (AG2R-Citroen) much leeway. Haig was the last man caught on the slopes of the final climb, sticking to his task to finish the stage in 17^th, ultimately dropping a spot on the standings to 18^th overall.

The Giro d’Italia continues with Stage 17, a mostly downhill route that will see the sprint teams come to the fore to prevent the breakaway profiting from a tiring peloton. Watch from 8.40pm AEST on SBS On Demand and SBS VICELAND.