Giro Rosa 2015 Stage 6

photo credits @ Giro Rosa/Facebook

Wiggle Honda’s Mayuko Hagiwara claimed stage 6 of this year’s Giro Rosa, marking the Japanese rider’s first ever professional victory.

Hagiware crossed the line in a solo finish, 24 seconds ahead of her closest rivals, Megan Guarnier (Boels Dolmans) and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Bigla).

Meanwhile, given her second place finish, Guarnier succeeded in retaining her grip on the overall race lead, with Anna Van Der Breggen trailing at 11 seconds behind.

Race Highlights

Today’s 102.5 kilometer stage, took riders from Tresivio to Morbegno, with three categorized climbs ranging from six to seven kilometers each.

A small breakaway group containing Hagiwara, Shara Gillow (Rabo Liv), Lizzie Armitstead (Boels Dolmans), Elena Berlato (Ale Cipollini), Alice Maria Arzuffi (Inpa Sottoli) and Sharon Laws (Bigla), got underway early on in today’s stage.

From there, the escapees succeeded in building up a sizable advantage of more than three minutes over the peloton.

At one point, this put Hagiwara into the virtual leader’s jersey, while Roxane Kneteman (Rabo Liv) eventually made her way to the lead group, after spending much of the stage bridging her way across from the chase.  

Back in the peloton, Moolman was the first rider to attack, taking Alena Amialiusik (Velocio – SRAM) along with her, over the second categorized climb in Sondiro. 

This resulted in an even greater reduction in the peloton, with Guarnier and a few other top GC riders briefly losing contact. 

As the breakaway group approached the final categorized climb, this is when Hagiwara decided to make her move, leaving both her breakaway companions, as well as the peloton struggling to stay on terms.

Hagiwara would go on from there to seize a solo victory, while Guarnier et al managed to reclaim what remained of the day’s breakaway group and regain lost time on the leader.

The Giro Rosa continues tomorrow, with a start in the seaside town of Arenzano and tackle the nine-kilometer climb over Naso di Gatto, followed by the climb of the Rialto, before finishing in Loano.

Top 20 Finishers

1 Mayuko Hagiwara (Jpn) Wiggle Honda 3:12:26
2 Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 0:00:24
3 Ashlegh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) Bigla Pro Cycling Team
4 Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
5 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
6 Evelyn Stevens (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
7 Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Wiggle Honda
8 Flavia Maria Oliveira Paparella (Bra) Ale Cipollini
9 Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
10 Shara Gillow (Aus) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:00:27
11 Mara Abbott (USA) Wiggle Honda
12 Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:00:33
13 Lizzie Armitstead (GBr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 0:00:48
14 Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur 0:03:14
15 Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Velocio – SRAM 0:04:08
16 Claudia Lichtenberg (Ger) Team Liv-Plantur
17 Elena Berlato (Ita) Ale Cipollini 0:04:10
18 Tatyana Riabchenko (Ukr) INPA Sottoli Giusfredi 0:04:51
19 Polona Batagelj (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana 0:06:00
20 Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) INPA Sottoli Giusfredi

General classification after stage 6

1 Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 18:22:51
2 Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:00:11
3 Ashlegh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) Bigla Pro Cycling Team 0:00:14
4 Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Wiggle Honda 0:00:25
5 Evelyn Stevens (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 0:00:28
6 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:00:30
7 Mayuko Hagiwara (Jpn) Wiggle Honda 0:00:33
8 Mara Abbott (USA) Wiggle Honda 0:00:53
9 Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:02:01
10 Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:02:14
11 Shara Gillow (Aus) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:02:17
12 Flavia Maria Oliveira Paparella (Bra) Ale Cipollini 0:02:22
13 Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Velocio – SRAM 0:04:21
14 Claudia Lichtenberg (Ger) Team Liv-Plantur 0:04:51
15 Tatyana Riabchenko (Ukr) INPA Sottoli Giusfredi 0:06:50
16 Polona Batagelj (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana 0:07:55
17 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:09:07
18 Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur 0:09:35
19 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Bigla Pro Cycling Team 0:10:48
20 Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 0:10:51