The Australian cyclist kept a dignified silence about his thoughts on the rights and wrongs of the move by the Astana and Katusha teams to attack his Tinkoff-Saxo teammate and Giro d'Italia race leader Alberto Contador when the Spaniard punctured on a descent late in Tuesday's 16th stage.

More candid on that point at least was Tinkoff-Saxo sports director Lars Michaelsen, who referred to the unwritten cycling law that a leader who has a mechanical problem or crash won't be attacked.

Michaelsen said: "I don't think it's honourable towards the leader's jersey when he has a problem. If they want to fight him they should fight him in a 'sportive' way, not this way."

But after Astana and Katusha took advantage of Contador's flat in the last 20km of the 177km stage from Pinzolo to Aprica by trying to distance him, Rogers said Tinkoff-Saxo are up for taking on Astana and Katusha if they are intent on employing such tactics before the Giro ends in Milan.

Asked if the Alpine stages on Thursday, Friday and Saturday pose a bigger danger after Astana and Katusha's move on Tuesday, Rogers told Fairfax Media: "We can see there are no easy moments.

"There are no gifts. We are not going to give any gifts back to anyone because no one wants to give us any. If they want to fight we will fight."

The drama following Contador's flat on Tuesday certainly added spark to a stage highlighted by Contador fighting back after being distanced to extend his overall lead.

Spaniard Mikel Landa (Astana), who won the stage by 38 seconds from Dutchman Steve Kruijswijk (Lotto-Jumbo) and Contador, rose from fourth place overall to second.

Landa's second stage win – he won Sunday's 15th stage to Madonna di Campiglio – left him at 4:02 to Contador for Wednesday's flatter 17th stage, a 134km leg from Tirano to Lugano.

Meanwhile, Italian Fabio Aru (Astana), who finished the stage seventh at 2:51, fell from second place overall to third at 4:52.

Russian Yury Trofimov (Katusha), fourth on the stage at 2:03, rose from sixth place overall to fifth at 8:27.

Contador's flat occurred on the descent from Aprica that the peloton climbed to twice.

Asked to recall what happened, Rogers said: "We stopped … the whole team.

"Unfortunately a team took advantage of it. I am not going to comment on that.

"All I can say is that we used the whole team. The team did an awesome job.

"People continue to criticise us [saying] we didn't have anyone with Alberto.

"Maybe they should jump on a bike and do the job we do."

While the aim of Astana and Katusha to drive the pace was to take time from Contador, they underestimated the Spaniard's teammates who had waited for him and led a furious chase.

Using energy they had intended to use to position Contador on the 11.9km Mortirolo with 44km to go rather than before it, they dug in on a flat nine-kilometre stretch before the climb to limit his time loss.

Contador, 52 seconds down at the foot of the Mortirolo, clocked the quickest time of the day for the climb.

He caught and passed riders to find himself in the lead group including Landa, Kruijswijk and Aru, of whom the latter was dropped after Contador accelerated and was 1:52 down at the summit.

On the last ascent to Aprica when Contador, Landa and Kruijswijk led, Landa attacked to win the stage, but it was Contador who really impressed after his back had been slammed against the wall.

"There is no doubt he was the hero of the day, wasn't he?" Rogers said.

"All the odds were against him going into the Mortirolo.

"He came through, turned the situation from a negative one back into a positive one.

"I don't know what [Astana and Katusha's] plan was.

"I asked … Did they bite off a piece bigger than they could chew?"

Rupert Guinness is covering the Giro d'Italia as a guest of Eurosport. Eurosport are covering every stage live up until and including the final stage to Milan on Sunday.