It was a day full of bad news for UAE Team Emirates - XRG manager Mauro Gianetti. Although his team continues to carry the pink jersey on their shoulders, the GC position of Isaac del Toro is no longer comfortable. On the final climb San Valentino, cracks in the Mexican's armor emerged quickly after Richard Carapaz launched his offensive.
"We are here with two young riders. Today was an incredibly tough stage with a lot of elevation. Isaac really defended the pink jersey with character. That makes it a good day for us, I think," Gianetti opens in front of the Eurosport camera.
Until stage 16, UAE could lean back at the prospect of having Juan Ayuso also on provisional podium, ready to take over in case Del Toro folds under the pressure. However it was the more experienced Spaniard who showed a weakness first, losing contact already on the penultimate ascent Santa Barbara.
"Ayuso didn’t feel well from the start of the stage, he really struggled in the cold weather. And he also lost time along the way, until he finally couldn’t follow on the Santa Barbara. It is what it is," Gianetti resigned. "But we are still in the lead with Isaac del Toro. The competitors are very close after today. We will see what will happen in the coming days."
General classificaton of Giro d'Italia after stage 16:
| Position | Rider | Team | Time |
| 01 | del Toro Isaac | UAE Team Emirates - XRG | 61:31:56 |
| 02 | Yates Simon | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | + 26 |
| 03 | Carapaz Richard | EF Education-EasyPost | + 31 |
| 04 | Gee Derek | Israel - Premier Tech | + 01:31 |
| 05 | Caruso Damiano | Bahrain Victorious | + 02:40 |
| 06 | Bernal Egan | INEOS Grenadiers | + 03:23 |
| 07 | Storer Michael | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | + 03:31 |
| 08 | Tiberi Antonio | Bahrain Victorious | + 04:07 |
| 09 | Pellizzari Giulio | Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe | + 04:36 |
| 10 | Yates Adam | UAE Team Emirates - XRG | + 05:08 |
| 14 | McNulty Brandon | UAE Team Emirates - XRG | + 07:43 |
| 17 | Ayuso Juan | UAE Team Emirates - XRG | + 13:27 |
| 18 | Majka Rafal | UAE Team Emirates - XRG | + 16:37 |
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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