Giro d'Italia: Tratnik wins stage 16

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Jan Tratnik (Bahrain McLaren) secured a solo victory during stage 16 at the Giro d'Italia. The Slovenian made his winning move over the top of the steep finish climb to take the win ahead of late-race breakaway companion Ben O'Connor (NTT Pro Cycling) in San Daniele del Friuli. Enrico Battaglin (Bahrain McLaren) took the chase-group sprint for third place.

"These last days were special because we're close to Slovenia these last four stages," Tratnik said in a post-race interview. "Today was special because it was really close. In the finish my brother and my girlfriend (were there). I wanted to make something because for me this is the last because now hard stages are coming.

"I didn't wait so long. I already went on the first time after we passed the finish line with [Manuele] Boaro, we were two guys, and I went solo on the second climb. On the last climb, it was just up to me, I tried to go as fast as possible. On the top (O'Connor) caught me and we cooperated great, but I was 50km alone. The last 3km, I was already on the limit but when I saw 500m from the finish I saw my girlfriend and got some extra energy and I flew to the finish line."

Deceuninck-QuickStep let a breakaway of 28 riders fight it out for the day's stage victory, and with none of the escapees a threat to Joåo Almeida's overall lead, they allowed the large group to gain a hefty 15 minutes. As the main field came into the final kilometre, Almeida attacked on the steep finish climb and crossed the line with a small two-second gap to extend his overall lead to 17 seconds over Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb) and 2:58 over Jai Hindley (Sunweb).

"I was feeling good. Sometimes the best defence is attacking and that's what I did today. I tried, why not - when it's steep like this, everyone's spent energy so I think it was good," Almeida said. "It's been more and more mental [game] and for sure you need to have the legs. As I said, sometimes the mind is more important. I cannot have any more confidence than this, it's been crazy for me - really good - and I'm really thankful for my whole team. Let's see how far I can go. I'm confident but I'm ready for the worst. Anything can go wrong I think."

Tratnik was part of the day's 28-rider breakaway that set off on the first climb over the Madonnina del Domm in the opening 30km of the race. He went on to launch a decisive counter-attack on the second of three finishing circuits, over the Monte di Ragogna, a climb that averaged 10.4 per cent over 2.8 kilometres and briefly touched 16 per cent. He appeared to be on his way to a solo victory with a lap and half to go, however, O'Connor put in a huge effort to bridge across to him on the last climb over the Monte di Ragogna. 

The pair worked together on the descent and into San Daniele del Friuli, but Tratnik stopped taking turns and forced O'Connor to lead into the base of the sharp final climb. O'Connor attached first inside 800 metres to go but he wasn't able to distance Tratnik, who then counter-attacked and opened a small six-second gap to take the stage win, leaving O'Connor to settle for second place.

Behind the duo, Battaglin sprinted for the remaining podium place ahead of his chase companions Kamil Malecki (CCC) and Ben Swift (Ineos Grenadiers). The rest of the riders that made up the initial 28-rider breakaway crossed the line over a minute back, and Almeida led in the main field 12:54 behind the stage winner.

How it unfolded

The Giro d'Italia entered its third and final week after the second rest day with a 229km stage 16 from Udine to San Daniele del Friuli in what was the second-longest stage of the Italian Grand Tour.

The day included six categorised climbs beginning with the category 2 Madonnina del Domm (30km). There were then five category 3 ascents, first, over the Monte Spig (76km) and then Monteaperta (124km). The last three climbs were held on the punchy finish circuits using the 3km ascent Monte di Ragogna (162km, 189km and 216km), before a steep climb inside the kilometre and then a drop into San Daniele del Friuli.

Twenty-eight riders cleared the main field before on the first climb of the day. The move was started by stage 9 winner and runner-up in the mountains classification Ruben Guerreiro (EF Pro Cycling), who was later joined by mountains classification leader Giovanni Visconti (Vini Zabu-Brado-KTM). Guerreiro took the 18 points for first place over the top of the Madonnina del Domm, but as the pair crested the climb they were joined on the other side be 26 chasers.

The day's breakaway expanded to included Guerreiro, James Whelan (EF Pro Cycling), Visconti, Lorenzo Rota (Vini Zabu-Brado-KTM), Einer Rubio, Sergio Samitier (Movistar), Matteo Fabbro, Pawel Poljanski (Bora-Hansgrohe), Larry Warbasse, Francois Bidard, Geoffrey Bouchard, Andrea Vendrame (AG2R La Mondiale), Salvatore Puccio, Ben Swift (Ineos Grenadiers), Manuele Boaro, Fabio Felline (Astana), Ben O'Connor (NTT Pro Cycling), Enrico Battaglin, Jan Tratnik (Bahrain McLaren), Julien Bernard (Trek-Segafredo), Joey Rosskopf, Kamil Malecki (CCC Team), Filippo Zana, Alessandro Tonelli (Bardiani CSF-Faizane), Alessandro Bisolti, Jefferson Cepeda (Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec), Stefano Oldani (Lotto Soudal), Valerio Conti (UAE Team Emirates).

Visconti picked up the nine points over the top of 4.7km-long Monte Spig in an effort to maintain his lead in the mountain classification, but Guerreiro was not about to give up on challenging for the jersey taking four points for second place. Visconti again took the nine points available over the top of the 3.3km Monteaperta, while Guerreiro missed out on the points on that ascent.

The 28-rider breakaway raced through the valley roads toward the three finish circuits in San Daniele del Friuli, extending their lead to more than 10 minutes, and with no threats to Joåo Almeida's overall race lead, Deceuninck-QuickStep were content to let them go.

Guerreiro launched an attack on the first climb over the Monte di Ragogna, a 3km climb with an average grade of 9 per cent. He took the nine points offered, as Visconti led the chase over the top and picking up the four points for second place. 

With two laps, two category 3 climbs and 60km to go, Guerreiro continued on alone and built his lead out to 24 seconds. The large chase group weren't willing to give Guerreiro any leeway, and with no one willing to bridge across to help with building a gap, he was brought back into the fold. 

Counter attacks ensued with Manuele Boaro (Astana) and Jan Tratnik (Bahrain McLaren) padding out 35 seconds between themselves and the chase.

Boaro and Tratnik reached the base of the penultimate climb over Monte di Ragogna with 30 seconds in hand, but a smaller group formed behind with Geoffrey Bouchard (AG2R La Mondiale), Alessandro Tonelli (Bardiani), Ben O'Connor (NTT), Ben Swift (Ineos), Kamil Malecki (CCC), Enrico Battaglin (Bahrain) and Valerio Conti (UAE).

Tratnik pulled away from Boaro on the steep upper slopes of the Ragogna. He wasn't interested in keeping the Italian with him to help with the breakaway and carried on alone building 10 seconds on Boaro and another 30 seconds on the five chasers behind. More than 15 minutes later, Deceuninck-QuickStep led the main field at a snail's pace over the Rogogna with a little over one lap, 25km to go.

Tratnik crossed through the finish line with the bell lap and 50 seconds over the chase of Bouchard, Battaglin, Tonelli, Malkecki, O'Connor, Swift, as a struggling Boaro paid for his earlier efforts and sat on the back. 

Tratnik's gap dropped to 25 seconds on the lower slopes of the Rogogna as O'Connor put in a massive effort to bridge across to him alone. The gap dropped even further to 15 seconds with one kilometre to the top. Tratnik appeared to struggle on the upper slopes as O'Connor looked the stronger of the two and made contact with the Slovenian over the top.

The pair descended onto the streets on San Daniele del Friuli and worked together to build a minute lead on the next chase group. Under two kilometres to go, Tratnik stopped taking turns leaving O'Connor to pull the pair into the final steep climb, that hit pitches as steep as 20 per cent.

O'Connor was the first to attack with 800 metres to go, but the Australian could not rid Tratnik from his wheel. Tratnik made the next move and opened a gap over the top of the climb, it was a small lead of just a few seconds, but enough to secure a solo victory in San Daniele del Friuli.