Giro 2026: preview of stage 16 to Carì, explosive mountain stage to Carì

The sixteenth stage is again one for the climbers. The breakaway riders will try to hold on until the finish line this time, but due to the short distance, it could also suit the GC contenders once more. WielerFlits looks ahead!

Route

After the rest day, the Giro heads into Switzerland on Tuesday, May 26 for a short but tough mountain stage of 113 kilometers, from Bellinzona to Carì. Given the limited distance, this promises to be an explosive stage.

The start in Bellinzona, known for its UNESCO-protected castles, is relatively calm. Then follows a circuit in the Brenno valley, where the riders must climb twice to Torre (4.2 km at 6.2%) and Leontica (3 km at 8.2%). These repeated efforts will wear down the peloton.

After this loop, the decisive phase begins with the final climb to Carì: 11.2 kilometers at 8%. This is a long and steep climb inviting attacks from the GC contenders. This is a stage for pure climbers and a chance for overall contenders to gain time.

Classifications

Favorites

Jonas Vingegaard, with three stage wins already, will be quite satisfied, while the other GC contenders realize there is no beating the Dane. Therefore, the likelihood is high that the breakaway will succeed. Giulio Ciccone is undoubtedly the man to watch. The Italian from Lidl-Trek attacks on almost every mountain stage, but no break he joined has made it to the finish line. Still, he has almost always shown the strongest form when involved, so in our opinion, he is the one to beat.

Also circling this stage in red is Wout Poels. The Rose Rockets rider made a good impression on the ride to Pila with an eighth place, despite the breakaway he was part of being caught. Can he complete his trilogy? He will definitely have to contend with Einer Rubio. The Colombian from Movistar knows what it takes to win a Giro stage and can count on the support of Enric Mas, who may also have ambitions for the stage victory.

Jan Hirt (NSN Cycling) was somewhat surprisingly among the best climbers in the lead group on Saturday. The Czech rider also knows what it takes to win a Giro stage and will undoubtedly be watched closely due to his experience. His teammate Alessandro Pinarello could also make a splash. Then there is Aleksandr Vlasov, who was allowed to go for his own chances on Saturday. His teammates Giulio Pellizzari and Jai Hindley might still aim for the stage win if the GC contenders decide to battle it out.

However, the biggest favorite remains Jonas Vingegaard. The GC leader has shown himself to be by far the best climber in this Giro and seems unbeatable if the break does not make it. Much will depend on how Visma | Lease a Bike approaches the race. The only GC rider who comes close to Vingegaard is Felix Gall. If he has a good day, he is the GC rider with the next best chance after Vingegaard to win the stage.

Other riders from the top of the classification to watch are Davide Piganzoli (Visma | Lease a Bike), Thymen Arensman (Netcompany INEOS), and Tudor duo Michael Storer and Mathys Rondel. Potential attackers who could still compete for a podium place include Markel Beloki (EF Education-EasyPost), Filippo Zana (Soudal Quick-Step), and the Dutchman Koen Bouwman (Jayco AlUla).

Weather and TV

It promises to be warm again in Switzerland on Tuesday. Temperatures will rise to as high as 29 degrees Celsius, with a light wind from the southwest. The riders are not expected to face rain during the stage, although the final climb tells a different story. Rain is indeed anticipated there, and temperatures will not rise above 21 degrees Celsius.