On Monday Paolo Bettini played a fantastic hi-jack on the Petacchi-less Team Milram lead out squad to win a well earned stage in his home tour. The pocket rocket had hidden in the middle a mass gallop squeezing through to win a very tight verdict.

Home rider Ivan Basso (CSC) continues to dominate the Giro d’Italia winning the first big mountain Stage 16 in the Dolomites by 1′-27″ showing that not only is he the clear favourite to win the race but also will be the man to beat come July and the Tour de France. Jan Ullrich finished around five minutes back and continues to sharpen his form, but he’s clearly a long way behind the Italian.

The Dolomites are all Basso’s though, as none of the many contenders for this race could match his power up the Monte Bondone to the finish. It was Armstrong-esque at the run in, as one by one his rivals were shelled out.

Charly Wegelius continues to have a steady Tour and moved up ten or so places in the GC with an excellent 22nd on the mountain top finish, only 4’29” back on Basso when many team leaders and big hitters lost a lot more time.

Stage 15 – Monday, May 22 – Mergozzo to Brescia – 189 km – Results

1. Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic 4.15.42 (44.583 km/h)
2. Olaf Pollack (Ger) T-Mobile Team
3. Robert Forster (Ger) Gerolsteiner
4. Henk Vogels (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto
5. Axel Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare
6. Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) Phonak Hearing Systems
7. Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone
8. Alberto Loddo (Ita) Selle Italia-Serramenti Diquigiovanni
9. Carlos Da Cruz (Fra) Française des Jeux
10. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Lampre-Fondital

Stage 16 – Tuesday, May 23 – Rovato to Trento Monte Bondone – 173 km

1. Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 4.51.30
2. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1.27
3. Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1.38
4. José E. Gutierrez Cataluna (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems
5. John Gadret (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 2.40
6. Julio Alberto Perez Cuapio (Mex) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 2.45
7. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Selle Italia-Serramenti Diquigiovanni 3.11
8. Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 3.30
9. Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Liberty Seguros-Würth Team
10. David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
22. Charles Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas @4.29

General classification after stage 16

1. Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 64.35.17
2. José E. Gutierrez Cataluna (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 5.24
3. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 9.17
4. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 9.34
5. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Selle Italia-Serramenti Diquigiovanni 11.07
6. Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 11.59
7. Sandy Casar (Fra) Francaise des Jeux 12.40
8. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 13.55
9. Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col) Phonak Hearing Systems 14.59
10. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 15.18
69. Charles Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas 1.06.23