"I managed to crash again and I've got a big swollen lip" - Michael Storer turns frustration into motivation to surge into Giro d'Italia top 10 on stage 16

After his stunning GC win at the Tour of the Alps earlier this year, Michael Storer was viewed by some as a real dark horse contender for the 2025 Giro d'Italia. So far, that hasn't quite gone to plan for various reasons, but on stage 16, the Aussie climber showed just why there was so much pre-race hype about him with a strong performance.

Up five place in the general classification thanks to his efforts on stage 16, Storer now sits 7th in the GC, 3:31 down on the Maglia Rosa Isaac del Toro and exactly three minutes of a podium place. Even on this, his best day of the Giro d'Italia so far however, Storer was unable to escape yet more bad luck, going down hard in another crash. This time though, the 28-year-old was able to turn the frustration built up by the crash into motivation for a big showing in the high mountains.

"I managed to crash again... It's a bit of a theme at this Giro and it's extremely frustrating," reflected the Tudor Pro Cycling Team leader in a post-stage interview with Cycling News and Eurosport at the finish line afterwards. "The consolation was being good on the last climb. I'm very frustrated with this Giro, but at least I was climbing well today."

With plenty more mountainous terrain between here and Rome, Storer looks to be coming into form at just the right time of the race. After finishing 10th overall at the Giro d'Italia in 2024, the Aussie could also be set for a career best Grand Tour placing. Still though, Storer isn't content with merely a top-10 finish just yet. "It was the first time I had good legs since crashing in Napoli and then in Siena and again the time trial. I hope my luck turns around at least once before this Giro ends," he concludes.