The Giro Donne starts from Cesena with the world champion Balsamo in pink jersey

Keep making us dream, Elisa. The Giro d’Italia Women starts again today from Romagna, after the rest day on Sunday to allow the movement of athletes and staff from Sardinia. The program includes 120.9 km, with start and finish in Cesena. For the first time, the sprint is not entirely taken for granted: the athletes will have to conquer it by overcoming the three GPMs scheduled, starting with Bertinoro (4 km at 4.9%) and then continuing with Barbotto (4.3 km at 8 , 2%: here Eddy Merckx did a great feat in the 1973 Giro) and Monteleone, third category of 1900 meters with an average gradient of 6.9%. The last GPM ends 20.9 km from the finish; then some ups and downs, with another interesting tear, before the final inside Cesena. A day for sprinters able to save energy on the climbs of the day and unleash their power in the final. Another day, in short, for the pink jersey Elisa Balsamo, who presented herself at the Giro Donne as an Italian and world champion and immediately set the record straight by winning the Tortolì sprint. The most credible alternative remains Marianne Vos, who comes from the sumptuous sprint in Olbia (31st career seal at the Giro Donne) and wants to repeat herself: only 6 ”separate her from the pink jersey, and the allowances can be decisive. The Dutch Charlotte Kool is looking for the first success of this Giro Donne, after the two podiums in the first days on the line. Among the Italians, a new chance for Rachele Barbieri, Chiara Consonni, Sofia Bertizzolo and Silvia Zanardi.

The program After today’s stage, the Giro Donne will continue on Tuesday with the Carpi-Reggio Emilia, another finish for sprinters, before going live on Wednesday with the finish in Bergamo, which also includes a tear towards the Upper Town. The decisive days will then begin on Thursday, starting with the uphill arrival on the fearsome Maniva Pass. Friday the eighth stage, from Rovereto to Aldeno with the second category GPM of Bordala and Lago di Cei, then the final showdown on Passo Daone, followed by a long descent and the stretch towards the San Lorenzo Dorsino ramp. Sunday 10 July the sprint in Padua will close the Giro Donne 2022 and establish the winner.

The ranking 1. Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) 5h33’12 “
2. Marianne Vos (Ola, Jumbo-Visma) at 6”
3. Georgia Baker (Aus, BikeExchange-Jayco) a 12”
4. Kristen Faulkner (Usa, BikeExchange-Jayco) a 14”
5. Lotte Kopecky (Bel, SD Worxl) and 14″
6. Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) at 17 “
7. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ola, Movistar) a 18”
8. Charlotte Kool (Ola, Dsm) a 19”
9. Emma Norsgaard (Dan, Movistar) a 20”
10. Lucinda Brand (Hello, Trek-Segafredo) at 24”