photo credits @ Giro Rosa/Facebook
World champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Rabo Liv) claimed stage 5 of this year’s Giro Rosa, in a summit finsih in Aprica today.
The French rider crossed the line in a solo finish, beating her closest rivals Megan Guarnier (Boels Dolmans) and Anna van der Breggen (Rabo Liv) – by several bike lengths to seize the win.
Meanwhile, Guarnier managed to retain her grip in the overall lead, with a five-second advantage over Van der Breggen.
Race Highlights
Today’s 128.4 kilometer stage from Trezzo Sull’Adda to Aprica, treated the peloton to its first mountain top finish in this year’s race.
A small breakaway group containing Roxane Knetemann, Anouska Koster (both Rabo-Liv), Claudia Lichtenberg (Liv-Plantur), Jasinska Malgorzta (Ale Cipollini), Tatyana Riabchenko, Anna Trevisi (both Inpa Sottoli), Chantal Blaak (Boels Dolmans) and Amanda Spratt (Orica-AIS), got underway earlier on in the stage – subsequently building up a modest advantage of just under two minutes over the peloton.
However, as the race approached the base of the final 15 kilometer climb, Riabchenko was the only rider left out front. And, her time in the limelight came to a quick close shortly thereafter.
From there, Claudia Lichtenberg (Liv-Plantur) decided to make her move, but she too was reeled back in by the pace of the peloton during the final 5 kilometers.
Katrin Garfoot (Orica-AIS) and Anouska Koster (Rabo-Liv) were the next two riders to attack – quickly gaining a slight 15 second gap over the chase.
At one point, it appeared as though their move might stick, but just as their predecessors, they too were ultimately reeled back in.
Ferrand-Prevot then came to the front, alongside Francesca Cauz (Ale Cipollini), who proceeded to attack the chase together during the remaining 2 kilometers.
From there, Ferrand-Prévot conrtunied to push the pace during the final kilometer, which proved to be enough to distance her breakaway companion to take the stage victory.
Cauz then found herself under the attack of a fast approaching peloton, wherein Guarnier emerged to take second place.
Top 20 Finishers
1 Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 3:16:28 2 Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 0:00:01 3 Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 4 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 5 Ashlegh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) Bigla Pro Cycling Team 6 Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Velocio – SRAM 7 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 8 Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur 9 Thalita De Jong (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 10 Flavia Maria Oliveira Paparella (Bra) Ale Cipollini 11 Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Velocio – SRAM 12 Eugenia Bujak (Pol) BTC City Ljubljana 13 Polona Batagelj (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana 14 Katrin Garfoot (Aus) Orica – AIS 15 Evelyn Stevens (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 16 Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Aromitalia Vaiano 17 Laura Camila Lozano Ramirez (Col) S.C. Michela Fanini Rox 18 Claudia Lichtenberg (Ger) Team Liv-Plantur 19 Chiara Pierobon (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo 20 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Bigla Pro Cycling Team
General classification after stage 5
1 Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 15:10:07 2 Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:00:05 3 Ashlegh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) Bigla Pro Cycling Team 0:00:12 4 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:00:19 5 Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Wiggle Honda 0:00:20 6 Evelyn Stevens (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 0:00:22 7 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:00:24 8 Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Velocio – SRAM 0:00:31 9 Mara Abbott (USA) Wiggle Honda 0:00:44 10 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:00:46 11 Claudia Lichtenberg (Ger) Team Liv-Plantur 0:01:01 12 Mayuko Hagiwara (Jpn) Wiggle Honda 13 Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:01:55 14 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Bigla Pro Cycling Team 0:02:00 15 Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:02:01 16 Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 0:02:03 17 Eugenia Bujak (Pol) BTC City Ljubljana 0:02:07 18 Shara Gillow (Aus) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:02:08 19 Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Velocio – SRAM 0:02:09 20 Polona Batagelj (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana 0:02:13
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