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Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers), Race Leader
Thomas jumped back into the leader's pink jersey with a second-placed finish on the stage, just behind rival João Almeida in the final sprint to the line.
"It was nice to open it up and see where we all stand," Thomas said. "We want to race and we want to attack too, and light up the race. But it's about doing it at the right moment and not wasting energy. This was a good showdown and there will certainly be another two on the mountaintop finishes."
Thomas attacked clear from the other big favourite, Primož Roglič, with five kilometres left to race, joining Almeida at the front of the race.
"I kind of got the sense that he wasn't 100% and with the pace Kuss was riding," Thomas said.
"I felt I could accelerate so I thought I'd jump across to João and see if they reacted or if they kept riding that pace. Fortunately, he worked well with me towards the top and we tried to gain some time on Primož, which was good.
"There was no real time to talk, but I think we both understood the situation. With Primož behind, we were both keen to maximise that and we both worked really well together."
Thomas sits 18 seconds ahead of Almeida, with a 29-second lead over Roglič, and 2'50" back to the rest of the field.
"It's better than being 18 seconds behind but it's not a lot," Thomas added.
"I just see everything as a bonus. We got the jersey, that's great for the team morale and we're super motivated.
“There are only three more days for the team to defend and then it's down to the TT. We're in a great position but a lot can happen, especially if the weather turns bad again, which I think it will, so we'll keep trying to do the basics and go day by day.
"Hopefully tomorrow is a straightforward day, a sprint day. Then we have two big, big days left in the mountains. I think they are more than capable of defending well but a lot can still happen. The Giro has only just got going."
João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), 2nd overall, +18 seconds
“I just did the best effort I could, I was hoping for the best,” Almeida said of his initial attack with six kilometres remaining in the stage.
“I was a bit surprised that Geraint came like a f**king rocket. I was like, so surprised, and I tried to follow him. I was suffering to the end, but we did very good work together.
“I’ve been so close to the win in a Grand Tour so many times, so I think this was a step forwards for my career and also for my confidence. I think I am still the same rider, but this shows that maybe I’m doing things right."
Almeida was asked about the plan behind attacking when he did.
“I was feeling good. Towards the final, I saw that the others were waiting for me to do something because I put the team working," Almeida added. "It was maybe a good sign they didn’t attack, because maybe they were afraid of me, or maybe they were not amazing. I just tried to do my race and do my best.
“In the first two weeks, there were not really chances to make differences due to the weather, and due to sickness as well. Jay was sick, I was sick. Today was the first day we could take the chance to do something, and we grabbed it.”
Almeida was asked whether he can win the Giro, as he now sits just 18 seconds off the overall lead.
“I think I can,” he said. “It won’t be easy at all against Roglič and Geraint Thomas. It’s a very, very big challenge, but of course, I believe.”
Almeida spoke of an amusing text exchange with two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar, giving him some advice for the Giro d'Italia.
“We texted a few days ago, and he just told me to attack and take the jersey. I said, ‘I don’t have your legs, take it easy',” Almeida added.
Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma), 3rd overall, +29 seconds
Primož Roglič was only answering for a few seconds after conceding time to Thomas and Almeida. He hinted at the effect of crashes on his current condition, and was jokingly surprised at the attention he received.
“I’m not the only guy here racing, eh?,” he pointed out to a small group of reporters after he left the anti-doping area.
“I’m still recovering but I’m OK. For sure you wish to be completely 100%. But on the other hand I'm still here, so I'm happy.”
With that, he was in the Jumbo-Visma team car and away down the mountain.
Eddie Dunbar (Jayco AlUla), 5th overall, +3'03
The Irishman has been a surprise general classification candidate, going from a rider who attempted to make early breakaways in the first week to sitting in a consistently good position on the GC. On Stage 16, he showed just how close he is to the best with his ride to fourth on the stage and fifth on GC.
“I think it was fairly obvious what was going to happen," Dunbar told SBS Sport's John Trevorrow. "It’s only my second Grand Tour, but I think I’m learning quick and we knew to be prepared for it.”
“It’s a three-week race, so you have to pace yourself. I know my limits, so I had to back off a bit there. That was the moment where the race kind of went. But I battled my way back to Roglič and Kuss. I just sat on them and Kuss rode a really good tempo to limit the losses. Then Primoz brought the gap back a bit there at the finish.”
The 26-year-old is riding in the form of his career, making the most of his chance to lead in his first year with the Australian WorldTour squad after switching away from INEOS Grenadiers at the end of 2022.
“This is all I’ve ever wanted, just to have an opportunity in a race like this,” Dunbar said. “Thankfully, the team, Jayco-Alula, put belief in me. We’ve worked hard these last six months to get into shape for this race, and I can’t thank them enough for this opportunity, really.
“It’s not a victory or anything, it’s fourth place. You have to take that into account as well. I’m still off the top guys, Geraint and Almeida, but it’s a positive day.”
