Marianne Vos (Rabo Liv) stormed towards the finish in Chiavenna to take her 4th stage win in this edition of the Giro Rosa, ahead of Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda), with Emma Johansson (Orica AIS) in 3rd place.
On the first climb of stage 7 Emma Pooley took the QoM points and becomes the new leader of the mountain classification. That climb was the only significant difficulty on the day, apart from a long uphill drag to the finish line in Chiavenna. The only attack of the day was led by a a group of seven riders: Tyler Wiles (Specialized Lululemon), Tatiana Antoshina (Rusvelo), Annemiek Van Vleuten (Rabo Liv), Jessie Daams (Boels Dolmans), Linda Villumsen (Wiggle Honda), and the Orica AIS duo of Valentina Scandolara and Katrin Garfoot. They took a break but were caught by the peloton within 13 km to the line. At the head of the leading group the Alè Cipollini Galassia team and the Rabo Liv team worked to support their sprinters. In the final meters Marianne Vos outsprinted her breakaway companions and, once again, crossed the line first.
“Today it has been a very fast stage. In the final straight I managed to break away and win. I’m in good shape and therefore I have good expectations for the last 2 stages, thanks to my teammates too”, smiled the champion Marianne Vos.
Tomorrow, stage 8, the peloton heads out from Verbania on a stage that’s all about the final climb. The 13km ascent rises more than 1,000m (an average gradient of around 8%) making it a stage for the pure climbers. Stage 6 of last year’s Giro Rosa finished on the same climb to San Domenico di Varzo and it was here that Mara Abbott won solo.
Watch today’s highlights of the stage at 18:15 CEST (5:15pm UK, 12:15 USA EST) on RAI Sport 2 (http://www.raisport.rai.it/dl/raiSport/dirette/ContentItem-49340f1d-5246-4cf7-931f-75d65af039e7.html). If you can’t see it, close it, add http://www.tunnelbear.com, set yourself to Italy, and try it again.
Next stages:
Stage 8: Verbania (VCO) – San Domenico di Varzo (VCO) km 90,300 (start at 12.30pm)
Stage 9: Trezzo sull’Adda (MI) – Madonna del Ghisallo (CO) km 80,100 (start at 12.15pm)
Result:
1. Marianne Vos (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team) km 91,800 in 2:36’43“ at the average of 35,146 km/h
2. Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda) s.t.
3. Emma Johansson (Orica AIS)
4. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
5. Shelley Olds (Alè Cipollini Galassia)
6. Anna van der Breggen (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
7. Annemiek van Vleuten (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
8. Edita Janeliunaite (Forno d’Asolo Astute)
9. Elisa Longo Borghini (Hitec Products)
10. Megan Guarnier (Boels Dolmans)
General Classification:
1. Marianne Vos (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
2. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team) at 54’’
3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Hitec Products) at 1’03“
4. Anna van der Breggen (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team) a 2’20“
5. Claudia Hausler (Team Giant Shimano) a 2’24’’
Jerseys:
PINK Derma Fresh, General Classification: Marianne Vos (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
CYCLAMEN SMP Selle, Points Classification: Marianne Vos (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
GREEN BIM, Best Climber Classification: Emma Pooley (Lotto Belisol)
WHITE Saugella, Best Young Classification: Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
BLUE Dama, Best Italian Classification: Elisa Longo Borghini (Hitec Products)