Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) beat Steven Kruijswijk (Team LottoNl-Jumbo) in a sprint finish to win Stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia on Tuesday (24th May), but Kruijswijk easily retained the leader's pink jersey and has increased his lead to three minutes over Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEdge).

Following Monday's rest day, the 99th Giro d'Italia was back underway on Tuesday.

Stage 16 was a 132-kilometre (82-mile) medium-mountain route between Bressanone-Brixen and Andalo in northern Italy.

Dutch rider Steven Kruijswijk (Team LottoNl-Jumbo) held a two-minute, 12-second lead over Esteban Chaves of Colombia (Orica-GreenEDGE) coming into the stage,

With just six stages left in this year's Giro, Kruijswijk's rivals had to show their hands.

Russia's Ilnur Zakarin - in the red - (Team Katusha) was at the heart of most of the action at the front and tried to get away early on.

Kruijswijk managed to cover that one, then Niblai accelerated, but succeeded only in dropping Chaves.

On the second climb to Fai Della Paganella, Nibali tried again, but was realed in when Kruijswijk, Valverde and Zakarin pulled away to form a front three.

Zakarin was the first to crack, leaving Valverde and Kruijswijk to battle it out to the line.

Valverde crossed the line for his first stage win at the Giro in two hours, 58 minutes and 54 seconds.

Kruijswijk was given the same time.

He now leads by three minutes over Chaves, who finished eighth on the day.

Wednesday's 17th stage is a flat 196-kilometre (122 mile) route between Molveno and Cassano d'Adda.