Annamiek van Vleuten wins Giro Rosa prologue
Rabo-Liv dominate opening 2.5km prologue time trial in Italy
By Owen Rogers
Rabo-Liv set out their stall with a dominant Giro Rosa prologue display.
Marianne Vos’s Rabo-Liv stole the show at last night’s prologue in the Giro d’Italia Femminile. The Dutch team took the top four places at the opening time trial in the evening heat of Caserta, near Naples, last night.
Annamiek van Vleuten won the pan flat 2.5 km blast in a time of 2 minutes 26 seconds, clocking an average speed of 50.5kph, beating teammate Marianne Vos by one second. Van Vleuten, who won the Dutch time trial championship last week, was clearly happy with her performance, “I am so intensely happy,” she told the team website. “To win here is beautiful and I will definitely cherish the pink jersey.”
Rabo-Liv have been dominant in recent weeks, barely losing a race in June they filled the podium places at the Emekumeen Bira stage race in the Basque country. This dominance has led them to start the Giro with three leaders, Vos, French road and time trial champion, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and Anna van Der Breggen, meaning Van Vleuten knows her place in the pecking order.
“I know why I’m here, to support our general classification riders, but this is nice, it’s an incentive for the Giro.”
Defending champion, Mara Abbot (United Healthcare) began her defence finishing 37 seconds down and, whilst the time deficit is insignificant, the dominance of Rabo-Liv certainly is.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Santa Maria a Vico hosts tomorrow’s first road stage, which comprises 11 laps of 8.5 km circuit dominated by a climb of 3km and averaging 7%.
Giro d’Italia Femminile Prologue
1. Annamiek Ven Vleuten (Rabo-Liv) in 2:26
2. Marianne Vos (Rabo Liv) +01
3. Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Rabo-Liv) +05
4. Anna Van Der Breggen (Rabo-Liv) +07
5. Melissa Hoskins (Orica-AIS) +08
6. Roxane Knetemann (Rabo-Liv) +08
7. Jolien D’Hoore (Lotto Belisol) +09
8. Shelley Olds A(lé Cipollini) +10
9. Ellen Van Dijk (Boels-Dolmans) +10
10. Amy Pieters (Giant-Shimano) +10
Lucy Garner building for the future at her first Giro Rosa
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Owen Rogers is an experienced journalist, covering professional cycling and specialising in women's road racing. He has followed races such as the Women's Tour and Giro d'Italia Donne, live-tweeting from Women's WorldTour events as well as providing race reports, interviews, analysis and news stories. He has also worked for race teams, to provide post race reports and communications.
-
Tweets of the week: Mark Cavendish's special message, Demi Vollering learns French, and a reindeer enters the wind tunnel
The Manx missile has a secret admirer, and you'll never guess who it is
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Le Col ARC Lightweight Rain Jacket review: light, hooded, waterproof and versatile
Designed for gravel and adventure riding, it features a hood and a host of useful pockets in which to stash snacks and kit
By Andy Turner Published
-
Giro Rosa Gavia stage re-routed following landslide
Organisers have opted to finish the stage at the Lago di Cancano
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan Published
-
Marta Bastianelli bags Italian victory while it’s as you were for the Giro Rosa GC
With just one day to go, Anna van der Breggen sits atop of the GC and looks unlikely to budge
By Owen Rogers Published
-
Lucinda Brand storms to solo Giro Rosa stage eight win despite late crash
The Dutch rider broke away from the peloton alone to take a solo win as GC contenders remain at the same time
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan Published
-
Lotta Lepistö wins Giro Rosa stage six whilst Barnes' break is swept up
The flat stage ended in a sprint finish, Barnes and breakaway companions absorbed by the peloton with 13km to go
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan Published
-
Megan Guarnier wins the 2016 Giro Rosa
American champion Megan Guarnier wins the Giro d’Italia Femminile, extending Boels-Dolmans’ domination of the WorldTour
By Owen Rogers Published
-
Women’s peloton verbally abused during the Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile
Italian rider Elisa Longo Borghini overheard the unsavoury comments from the tifosi.
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan Published
-
Young Brit Jessie Walker making an impression in Italy’s Giro Rosa
New girl in the pro peloton, Britain’s Jessie Walker makes a big hit in the heat of Italy
By Owen Rogers Published
-
Emma Pooley takes final Giro Rosa stage as Marianne Vos wins overall
Britain’s Emma Pooley wins her third stage and the mountains classification
By Owen Rogers Published