Vincenzo Nibali (Team Bahrain - Merida) found the way to success again one year after he turned the general classification of the Giro d'Italia upside down. In today's stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia 2017 he outsprinted Mikel Landa (Team Sky Pro Cycling) to win the stage and be crowned king in Bormio following a 222 kilometer ride that included the Mortirolo climb and no less than two ascents of the Stelvio.

Stage 16 proved dramatic for race leader Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) as he was forced to make a sudden stop to relieve himself by answering the call of nature at the bottom of the final climb of today's queen stage of the 100th Giro d'Italia.

Dumoulin quickly redressed and then fought hard to regain contact with the group of general classification favorites. Dumoulin managed to remain overall leader of the 2017 Giro d'Italia at the end of today's stage, but as he proved unable to reel in the front group his GC advantage has been reduced to a mere 31 seconds on Nairo Quintana (Team Movistar) and 1 minute and 12 seconds on Nibali.

"At that moment I needed to stop to answer the call of nature," Dumoulin explained to Roadcycling.com following the podium ceremony. "When I was chasing back I decided to fight and not give up and then see where we were at after the finish. It was tough out there on my own and of course it's disappointing. The legs were good and I feel like I could have been up there with the other GC riders, but that's not how it worked out. It's too bad."

"I'm really happy to have won the beautiful stage, a very spectacular one, a very difficult one with the highest peaks up the Stelvio," stage winner Nibali told Roadcycling.com. "A stage that includes the Mortirolo and the Stelvio twice will be remembered for sure. My only disappointment is I wasn't able to raise my hands up in the air while crossing the finish line."

"My first attack up the Stelvio wasn't a very strong one, but the second one was. The few words exchanged with Nairo (Quintana) was about cooperating together. We'll fight hard to win the Giro all the way to the end in Milan. It's not easy. This final week is very hard and there is terrain suitable for attacks, especially for Quintana who wants to reduce the gap on Tom Dumoulin."

Stage result:
1 - Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain - Merida) 06:24:22 (average speed 34.654 km/h)
2 - Mikel Landa Meana (Team Sky) s.t.
3 - Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team) a 12"
4 - Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale) a 24"
5 - Ilnur Zakarin (Team Katusha Alpecin) a 34"

General classification:
1 - Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb)
2 - Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team) at 31"
3 - Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain - Merida) at 1'12"
4 - Thibaut Pinot (Team FDJ) at 2'38"
5 - Ilnur Zakarin (Team Katusha Alpecin) at 2'40"