World champion secures consolation of Maglia Ciclamino after disappointment of losing Rosa
Marianne Vos (Rabobank-Liv/Giant) took her third victory in the 2013 Giro d’Italia Femminile, as she won the bunch sprint at the end of the seventh stage in Corbetta, to the west of Milan. The World champion managed to hold off big rival Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda) at the end of the 120km race, which was made up of eight laps of a 15km circuit, with Shelley Olds (Tibco-To The Top) beating Kirsten Wild into third.
“It was a pity that I wasn’t able to battle for the Maglia Rosa this year, even though, three stage wins aren’t bad at all with only one day to go from the finish of the race,” said Vos afterwards. “I suffered on the long climbs, but I gave my best every day to honour this spectacular race and the amazing public, who are always ready to support us.”
With little to challenge the peloton on the pan-flat circuit - save for the multitude of corners - virtually the entire peloton finished together and, aside from losing nine seconds to some of her rivals as the bunch split a little, Mara Abbott (United States) finished the stage with most of her overall lead intact. Time bonuses on the line saw Vos move up from sixth to fifth overall.
There were several attacks in the opening laps of the race, notably from Inga Cilvinaite (Pasta Zara-Cogeas) and Anastasya Chulkova (Rusvelo), and Lauren Kitchen (Wiggle Honda) but, with the peloton travelling at an average of almost 42kph, there was no way for anybody to get away.
Second place overall Tatiana Guderzo (MCipollini-Giordana) took the intermediate sprint, with 16.7km to go, shortly before the peloton took the bell for the start of the final lap, ahead of third place Claudia Häusler (Tibco-To The Top) and Guderzo’s teammate Valentina Scandolara. This meant that two of Abbott’s overall rivals had crept a little closer in the general classification, with more to come in the split peloton at the finish.
At the finish there was nothing any of the other sprinters could do about Vos’ power, and the World champion sprinted to her 16th career Giro stage victory.
Abbott now had just the final 16.7km time trial between herself and her second Giro victory but, with Italian time trial champion Guderzo having closed to just 2’28” behind her, the former US champion was taking nothing for granted.
“Until tomorrow, I won’t be sure to confirm the Giro Rosa victory,” she warned. “I will see you in 24 hours to comment on the Maglia Rosa that I am wearing.”
Result stage 7
1. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/Giant
2. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling
3. Shelley Olds (USA) Team Tibco-To The Top
4. Kirsten Wild (Ned) Netherlands National Team
5. Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Vaiano-Fondriest
6. Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) MCipollini-Giordana
7. Oksana Kozonchuk (Rus) RusVelo
8. Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Be Pink
9. Giada Borgato (Ita) Pasta Zara-Cogeas
10. Melissa Hoskins (Aus) Orica-AIS
Standings after stage 7
1. Mara Abbott (USA) United States National Team
2. Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) MCipollini-Giordana @2’28”
3. Claudia Häusler (Ger) Team Tibco-To The Top @ 2’52”
4. Francesca Cauz (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo @ 3’01”
5. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/Giant @ 4’50”
6. Shara Gillow (Aus) Orica-AIS
6. 7. Evelyn Stevens (USA) Specialized-lululemon @ 5’17”
8. Ashleigh Moolman (RSA) Lotto-Belisol @ 5’39”
9. Egvenia Vysotska (Ukr) Michela Fanini-Rox @ 5’42”
10. Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Be Pink @ 7’42”