‘Nice jump!’ - Chris Hamilton drops risky bunny hop on terrifying descent on Stage 16 at Giro d’Italia

Updated 24/05/2022 at 14:48 GMT

Quite what would possess someone to drop a bunny hop on one of the Giro d’Italia’s most terrifying descents is beyond us, but Chris Hamilton could not resist having some fun on the Mortirolo on Stage 16. Robbie McEwen, his fellow Australian, could not hide his glee in the Eurosport commentary box as both wheels grabbed unlikely air-time, even awarding Hamilton “extra style points”.

‘Acrobatics on a bike!’ - Hamilton drops bunny hop on terrifying descent

Chris Hamilton (DSM) dropped the riskiest of bunny hops during an amazing moment on Stage 16 at the Giro d’Italia.

While his rivals in the chase group were carefully tiptoeing down the steep descent on the menacing Mortirolo, the sound of disk brakes being slammed echoing through the hills, Hamilton soared along without a care in the world.

As he went over a bump, the Australian flew into the sky with both wheels coming off the ground in a gravity-defying stunt.

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It’s fair to say his party trick went down very well in the Eurosport commentary box.

“Nice jump, Chris Hamilton!” yelled his compatriot Robbie McEwen, a 12-time stage winner at the Giro.

“He’s showing the BMX skills. Not only off the ground both wheels but he got a little bit of turn on that front wheel too, so extra style points.”

Hamilton was lively throughout the five-star mountain stage from Salo to Aprica.

“It was acrobatics on a bike, going at that speed down that hill,” said Rob Hatch later in the stage.

McEwen added: “I think it just showed how much morale he has and how pleased he was with his own job. ‘I’m cruising in this second group, nothing more to do, my work here is done.’”

With DSM out of the running in the general classification – their best-placed rider Thymen Arensman was 15th and 11’47” adrift of maglia rosa Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) ahead of Stage 16 – they are hunting stage wins.