Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) has claimed stage 2 of the Giro d’Italia Women after a decisive sprint victory.
Balsamo, who had started the day in pink —and been retrospectively crowned the winner of stage 1— after Lorena Wiebes’ dramatic disqualification last night, raised her hand in triumph as she crossed the line.
Wiebes’ absence had paved the way for a contested bunch sprint, with multiple teams harbouring aspirations for the stage win.
In the final 500 metres, UAE Team ADQ were driving for Lara Gillespie, with Balsamo led out from distance by Lucinda Brand.
It was Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech) who launched her sprint first, with Balsamo jumping out from Gillespie’s wheels and powering down the centre to take the win.
Gillespie, in red, finished second, with Chiara Consonni (Canyon-SRAM) outsprinting Kool to snatch the final podium spot, slamming her handlebars in frustration.
The win tightens Balsamo's hold on the points classification, which she now leads with 70 points. Gillespie follows with 50 and Consonni with 36.
“It’s just amazing – I’m so happy,” said Balsamo in an interview with TNT Sports after the stage. “In the last two weeks, I was waiting for this win so much, because this win is for my uncle.
“I want to say a big thank you to my teammates, who did an amazing job the whole day…Today, I was just completely focused on the finish line, and I pushed until the end because I knew that anyone could come from the back, because they are so strong. But I was feeling good, and I’m so happy about my sprint.”
“The team worked so hard all day,” teammate Brand agreed. “[Amanda Spratt] and Shirin [van Anrooij] did an amazing job. They were helping in the final to keep us in the front. Then it went super quick – we were hoping to have a bit longer but there was a bit of chaos entering the city. I saw Movistar moving to the front, so I thought I’d better keep the speed, and I know Elisa can take a really good wheel. In the end, it was a really good day.”
Gillespie, on the other, was less pleased with her second place. “I’m just empty. I found that a really hard stage, and I’m just gutted because the girls did such a good job. I executed it pretty perfectly, so it was just legs, which is always hard.”
Today’s 156-kilometre stage ran from Roncade to Caorle, a seaside town on Italy’s northern coast. The flat route had just one short, steep climb —the Muro di Cà del Poggio at around 65 kilometres in— with gradients reaching 19%.
Wiebes’ disqualification from the race yesterday evening was one of the stage’s major talking points, opening up possibilities for sprinters like Consonni, Gillespie and Kool, who had all made the top five the day before.
“It’s a really interesting situation,” said Georgia Baker (Liv AlUla Jayco) before the stage. “Apart from Wiebes, there was a really tight finish. Lots of teams could look at each other, and I think they’re going to have to take it up to sprint. I think it’ll be interesting, the bunch finish today. I suppose we’ll see.”
SD Worx have confirmed that they may explore legal action for Wiebes’ disqualification.
Predictably, the stage’s three-woman breakaway (Eleonora la Bella from Aromitalia Valiano and Elisa de Vallier and Sara Luccon from Top Girls Fasso Bortolo) was caught with around 14 kilometres remaining, paving the way for a bunch sprint.
But with the pink jersey —and the weight of Italian expectations— on her shoulders, it was Balsamo who delivered an authoritative sprint victory on the streets of Caorle.
RESULT GIRO D’ITALIA WOMEN: STAGE 2, RONCADE > CAORLE (156KM)
1. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek in 3:57.49
2. Lara Gilespie (Ire) UAE Team ADQ
3. Chiara Consonni (Ita) Canyon-SRAM
4. Charlotte Kool (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech
5. Barbara Guarischi (Ita) SD Worx-Protime
6. Arlenis Sierra (Cub) Movistar Team
7. Maggie Coles-Lyster (Can) Human Powered Health
8. Alessia Zambelli (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
9. Nienke Veenhoven (Ned) Team Visma | Lease a Bike
10. Linda Zanetti (Sui) Uno-X Mobility, all at the same time
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 2
1. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek in 7:15.51
2. Lara Gilespie (Ire) UAE Team ADQ, +0.08
3. Chiara Consonni (Ita) Canyon-SRAM, +0.12
4. Charlotte Kool (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech, + 0.20
5. Linda Zanetti (Sui) Uno-X Mobility
6. Georgia Baker (Aus) Liv AlUla Jayco
7. Alessia Zambelli (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
8. Arlenis Sierra (Cub) Movistar Team
9. Gladys Verhulst-Wild (Fra) AG Insurance - Soudal
10. Cristina Tonetti (Ita) Laboral Kutxa - Fundación Euskadi, all at the same time
