Stage 16 unfolded with unanticipated drama as the 2013 Giro d’Italia said good-bye to the Alps.
An unexpectedly significant feature – the third category ascent of the Andrate, crested just 18km from the finish in Ivrea – lit the touch paper on an explosive finish that drew another imperious display from the maglia rosa, Vincenzo Nibali.
The Shark showed his teeth once more on the Andrate’s descent, effortlessly bridging across to Samuel Sanchez and Carlos Betancur, forcing his GC rivals to push themselves to their limits on a nerve-shredding descent.
Stefano Sirotti, our photographer in cycling’s elite WorldTour, will also have had a day to remember. As one of the men with a lens on the back of the camera motorbikes, he will have experienced similar speeds to the riders as they plummeted from the Andrate.
Despite his precarious position, his hand and eye remained steady. Enjoy this superb gallery of his best images of the action from the Alps to Turin.
