They never saw it coming.

Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday that he and his top aides were “shocked” that their plan for limiting soda sizes to 16 ounces was tossed by Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Milton Tingling.

“Whether you like these things or not, the authority of the Board of Health to do these things has been tested . . . again and again,” he said.

The city is appealing the ruling and it’s not clear if the mayor’s term will end before the 16-ounce limit on sugary sodas is imposed.

The mayor conceded the matter could be out of his hands. “Hopefully that doesn’t happen,” he added.

Bloomberg has said the soda ban is a key move in preventing obesity-related illnesses that kill 5,000 New Yorkers a year.

dseifman@nypost.com