Giro Donne, again Balsamo! Bis in the sprint in Reggio Emilia

The rainbow helmet moves left and right, while standing on the pedals the cyclamen jersey makes every effort to resist the return of the opponents. Elisa Balsamo’s arms still rise to the sky at the Giro Donne, while those of rival Charlotte Kool move towards the handlebars, to throw punches of frustration. The Piedmontese darted at an unsustainable speed for the others on the finish line in Reggio Emilia, the fifth stage of the women’s race, and gave an encore after Tortolì. Behind her Kool, again, and Marianne Vos, third after the success in Olbia. Not bad for a rookie in the Giro Donne, who she rides with the cyclamen jersey to cover the world champion and the national title tricolor. Just at the foot of the podium the Italian Consonni and Bastianelli, fourth and fifth, while Barbieri still enters the top ten with seventh place. Quiet day instead for Annemiek Van Vleuten, who arrives in the group and keeps the pink jersey for 25 “on Mavi Garcia and 57” on Marta Cavalli.

Risk it all

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A success of strength and courage for Elisa Balsamo, who uses the team’s work to keep the five fugitives of the day under control and catch Giorgia Bariani, last to surrender, 4 km from the finish. Having avoided the fall at the last kilometer, in which Emma Norsgaard is also involved, the world champion decides to take the last corner at the head, 150 meters from the finish, overtakes Charlotte Kool inside and launches a powerful sprint, winning for half a wheel. The Dutchman, on the third podium in three sprints (two second places and a third) has no power to pass, Marianne Vos starts too far back to recover and is third. Balsamo’s decision to leave early to take the last corner ahead of her, at the cost of getting wind in her face, is a winning bet. And her first Giro Women of hers is colored by the second victory: “I would say that my balance so far can only be positive. I am very happy to have won, my team did a great job. Tomorrow it will be great to leave home, it will be a demanding stage and suitable for escapes. We’ll see”.

tomorrow

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The Giro Donne will go live tomorrow, with the sixth stage from Sarnico to Bergamo. Elisa Balsamo, born in Cuneo and Lombard by adoption, lives in Sarnico. The world champion will have to grit her teeth a lot to win the sprint in the 114.7 km scheduled in the sixth stage, which includes five laps in a circuit with the tear of San Pantaleone (3rd cat.) Before moving to Bergamo. In the end there is a tear towards the upper city, before swooping down towards viale Papa Giovanni XXIII, where the finish line is located. A day open to multiple options, from escaping to a relatively small group sprint. With so many athletes 5 ‘late in the general classification, it is not impossible that some might try the surprise reversal.

Order of arrival

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1. Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo, ITA) in 3h05’02 “, 2. Charlotte Kool (Team DSM, Ned) st, 3. Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo-Visma, Ned) st, 4. Chiara Consonni (Valcar – Travel & Service, ITA) st, 5. Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ, ITA) st, 6. Arlenis Sierra (Movistar, Cub) st, 7. Rachele Barbieri (Liv Racing Xstra, ITA) st, 8. Clara Copponi ( FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitanie Futuroscope, Fra) st, 9. Emanuela Zanetti (Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria, ITA) st, 10. Lea Lin Teutenberg (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling, Ger) st

General classification

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1. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Movistar, Ned) in 11h51’35 ”, 2. Mavi Garcia (UAE Team ADQ, Esp) +25”, 3. Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope, ITA) +57 ”, 4. Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo, ITA) + 5’00 “, 5. Cecile Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope, Den) + 5’13”, 6. Amanda Spratt (Team BikeExchange-Jayco, Aus) +5 ’14 “, 7. Elise Chabbey (Canyon Sram Racing, Sui) + 5’21”, 8. Niamh Fisher-Black (Team SD Worx, Aus) + 5’28 “, 9. Evita Muzic (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope , Fra) + 5’29 “, 10. Silvia Persico (Valcar-Travel & Service, ITA) + 5’29”