Van Vlueten smashes the field

There was little doubt that current time-trial world champion, Annemiek Van Vlueten (Mitchelton-Scott), was the favourite to win Thursday’s 15 km uphill time trial.

 

Awesome to win the uphill timetrial and take the maglia rosa. Prepared optimal for this @girorosa Happy I enjoyed the beautyful area during our recon. Todays stage was very near to the area where I go for altitude training in summer. #valtellina #girorosa #sufferfest #beautyful #didnotenjoyittoday #thirsty 📸 @ispa_photo @astoria_wines

A post shared by Annemiek van Vleuten (@annemiekvanvleuten) on Jul 12, 2018 at 10:23am PDT

With 149 riders individually taking to the course at one minute intervals, it was a long wait to see how the pointy end of the field would play out.

Australian Amy Cure (Wiggle High5) was the first rider to cross the finish line, setting a benchmark for the course of 57’02”. From there the lead time was slowly chipped away, with Elisa Longo-Borghini (Wiggle-High5) being the first to slip under 50’.

Despite the two-minute intervals given to the final 10 riders, Van Vlueten came storming over the line ahead of Lucinda Brand (TeamSunWeb), who had started before her. The three riders who crossed the line after were unable to match her blistering time of 46’07” with an average speed of 19.5 km/h.

Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Cervélo-Bigla) produced the second best time 2’28” behind Van Vlueten. And Lucinda Brand was third best, another 26” back.

Van Vlueten now also leads the General Classification, 2’54” ahead of teammate Amanda Spratt, who finished the day in 5th position.

 

A special day in the maglia Rosa for @amandaspratt87 too 💕💕 We don’t think she’ll be too disappointed with handing it over to teammate @annemiekvanvleuten 😍👭 #GiroRosa18

A post shared by Mitchelton-SCOTT (@mitchelton_scott) on Jul 12, 2018 at 1:53pm PDT

Results:

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia-femminile/2018/stage-7

Stage: Annemiek Van Vueten (Mitchelton-Scott)

General classification: Annemiek Van Vueten (Mitchelton-Scott)

Points classification: Kirsten Wild (Wiggle High5)

Mountain classification: Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott)

Youth classification: Sofia Bertizzolo (Astana)

Teams classification: Team Sunweb

That was a brutal timetrial! Amazing result. Suffered to the max (like always in TT's🤣).
Guess hard work and preparation with @mitcheltonscott payed off in this TT. Tomorrow in pink! @gettyimages pic.twitter.com/BfnG1Mpn9A

— Annemiek van Vleuten (@AvVleuten) July 12, 2018

Stage 8 preview

After a few days of tough climbing, Friday’s 126 km course will return to flatter ground and should provide one last opportunity for the sprinters.

The route includes 3 different loops, each passing through the eventual finishing town of Breganze.

Setting off in San Giorgio di Perlena, the race will head east to complete two laps of a 15 km loop, each with a short 3 km climb at 5%. The course then returns along the same road to begin a longer 46 km loop. A final 12 km loop includes another 3 km climb of 6%. Once the riders crest this it will be a mostly downhill 8km run to the finish line.

This stage may be one for multi-time world champion, Marianne Vos (WaowDeals).