“The first part is going to be absolutely crazy” - Alberto Contador warns of Giro d'Italia stage 16 chaos
Cycling
The mountains return to centre stage at the Giro d’Italia with a stage 16 that promises fireworks from kilometre zero. The 113-kilometre day between Bellinzona and Cari packs five climbs and an explosive finish that could shake up the general classification. Ahead of the stage, Alberto Contador broke down on Eurosport every detail of a route he sees as perfect for attacks and time gaps among the favourites.
“Stage 16 of the Giro d’Italia between Bellinzona and Cari is here. It’s a very short stage, just 113 kilometres, with five climbs,” the Spanish legend began. Contador underlined the brutality of the opening and the fight expected to make the day’s break: “The first part is going to be absolute chaos in the battle for the break."
"We’ll see whether Jonas Vingegaard really eases off to hunt stage wins, or not,” Contador said of pink jersey Vingegaard’s possible approach.
For the triple Grand Tour winner, the decisive point will be the final ascent to Cari, a demanding climb that could completely split the race among the GC contenders: “Why? Because the judge of the race will undoubtedly be the last climb. It’s 11.7 kilometres at 7.9% average. There are sustained sections of nine to ten percent,” he analysed.
Stage 16: Bellinzona - Cari, 113 kilometres
Open stage finale
Contador also focused on the extreme severity of the final kilometres of the climb, where major moves could come from the favourites for overall victory at the Giro d’Italia. “If the GC men want to gamble, the last kilometre and a half is brutal,” he said.
Finally, the Spaniard left the question open over who will take the stage and warned of possible changes in a general classification that remains very tight.
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“We’ll see if the stage win goes to the break or if the general classification riders decide it, and we’ll also see how those tightly packed GC places move up or down,” he concluded.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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