Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) continues her near unbeaten season, taking victory in the first stage of the Giro d’Italia Femminile, between Rome and Velletri. The Dutch champion beat Ina Teutenberg (HTC-Highroad) in a long sprint at the end of the 87km stage, finishing a second ahead of the German champion, while Swedish champion Emma Johansson (Hitec Products-UCK) was third.
“The finish suited me really well, and my condition is excellent” said Vos at the finish. “I couldn’t have hoped for a better start to my Giro.”
The victory means that Vos swaps her Dutch champion’s driekleur for the pink leader’s jersey. “I hope to wear it as long as possible,” she said.
To mark the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, just as the men’s Giro did in May, the race started from the bery centre of Rome, the Italian capital. In addition, Italian champion Noemi Cantele (Garmin-Cervélo) was given the honour of wearing number 150, just as men’s champion Giovanni Visconti was, while the number 108 is not being used in the race, in honour of Belgian rider Wouter Weylandt, who died during the third stage of that race.
The peloton stayed together, save for a couple of small crashes, until it reached the 3rd category climb in Castel Gandolfo after 36km. The prize – and the green jersey for tomorrow was taken by perennial attacker Valentina Scandolara (Gauss-RDZ-Ormu), from Alessandra D’Ettorre (Colavita Formo d’Asolo) and Ashleigh Moolman (Lotto Honda).
Once again though, the peloton was all together as it entered the four 7km finishing circuits, with 29km to go, whereupon Emilia Fahlin and Ellen van Dijk (both HTC-Highroad) escaped.
After a few kilometres the HTC-Highroad pair was joined by Malgorzata Jaskinska (Michela Fanini-Rox), and with 18km to go the trio led the peloton by 48 seconds. Steadily though, the peloton reeled the three fugitives in, to catch them with just over 10km to go.
The final lap was ridden at high speed, with the expectation of a sprint finish; as the peloton entered the uphill, cobbled finishing straight Vos was clearly the fastest, managing to gap her rivals to win by several lengths.
Vos takes the pink jersey, which she held until the race hit the high mountains last year but, after incredibly taking her twentieth victory of the season so far, the Dutch champion could well be able to go all the way this time.
Result stage 1
1. Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit, 81.7km in 2h11’56’’
2. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) HTC-Highroad @ 1s
3. Emma Johansson (Swe) Hitec Products-UCK
4. Elizabeth Armitstead (GBr) Garmin-Cervélo
5. Judith Arndt (Ger) HTC-Highroad
6. Rossella Callovi (Ita) MCipollini-Giambenini
7. Elena Berlato (Ita) Top Girls-Fassa Bortolo
8. Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) MCipollini-Giambenini);
9. Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Vaiano-Tepso-Solaristech
10. Martine Bras (Ned) Netherlands National Team
Standings after stage 1
1. Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit
2. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) HTC-Highroad @ 5s
3. Emma Johansson (Swe) Hitec Products-UCK @ 7s
4. Elizabeth Armitstead (GBr) Garmin-Cervélo @ 11s
5. Judith Arndt (Ger) HTC-Highroad