Marianne Vos (Rabobank) secured her second straight overall victory in the Giro d’Italia Femminile, after finishing as part of a three-woman break in the final stage between Sarnico and Bergamo. The 108km stage was taken by Swedish champion Emma Johansson (Hitec Products-Mistral Home), ahead of Vos, with green jersey Emma Pooley (AA Drink-Leontien.nl) third.
"After all placings I’ve collected this year, I just wanted a victory,” said the Swedish champion. On the first climb I suffered a bit, but in the final climb and descent I knew it could be my day.
“Now it's time to celebrate and relax before big events that lie ahead.”
With the three riders finishing a 3’37” ahead of the next group, which was almost another minute ahead of stage three winner Evie Stevens (Specialized-lululemon), it was enough to lift Pooley above the American to the second step of the podium.
"Those seven weeks forced rest were perhaps not so very bad," said Vos after the finish, referring to her recent time off the bike as she recovered from a fractured collarbone. "To win the Giro for the second consecutive time is very cool, but I am also very happy that I managed to take a few steps further this week. I must see if I can hold this form for three weeks, but I think the Giro is the ideal preparation for the Olympics.
“This win definitely gives a lot of confidence towards London."
A big break goes again but the cream rises to the top as before
The first attack of the day came from Inga Cilvinaite (Diadora-Pasta Zara), Silvia Valsecchi and Simona Frapporti (both BePink), and Marta Tagliaferro (MCipollini-Giambenini) after little more than 10km. The foursome was only able to get a handful of seconds clear however, before being pulled back into the peloton. 2007 World champion Marta Bastianelli (Mcipollini-Giambenini) then tried her luck, with stage six winner Shelley Olds (AA Drink-Leontien.nl), but they too were quickly recaptured.
After 27km however, an attack from the ever-aggressive Valentina Bastianelli (Vaiano Tepso) pulled a group of eighteen riders clear, including Liesbet de Vocht (Rabobank), Valentina Carretta and Frapporti again (both BePink), Monia Baccaille and Marta Tagliaferro (MCipollini-Giambenini), Martina Ruzickova (Michela Fanini-Rox), Italian champion Giada Borgato (Diadora-Pasta Zara) and Ludivine Henrion (Lotto-Belisol).
Several riders managed to bridge to the lead group, boosting its numbers to 37, but from this group another break of 17 moved clear. On the big climb to Bianzano towards the middle of the stage however, a group of 12 pulled away from the front, which included Vos, Pooley, Johansson, Stevens and most of the overall contenders.
As the climb went on Vos, Pooley and Johansson moved clear and quickly built up a lead over the rest. On the final climb of the day, to Cenate Sotto with 15.6km to go, the trio was 2’50” ahead, and in no danger of being caught before the finish. In the sprint for the line, Johansson managed to beat Vos for the first time this season, with Pooley following shortly behind.
Belarusian champion Alena Amialiusik (BePink) won the sprint for fourth, 3’37” later, and with Stevens coming in after 4’25”, Pooley’s second place was confirmed.
The winner though, was Vos, who matched her 2011 performance with five stage wins; victory for the 25-year-old Dutchwoman only looked in any doubt at all after Stevens took the Maglia Rosa after winning stage three. She took it right back the following day however, and tightened her grip on it every day since.
Result stage 9
1. Emma Johansson (Swe) Hitec Products-Mistral Home
2. Marianne Vos (Ned) Stichting Rabobank
3. Emma Pooley (GBr) AA Drink-Leontien.nl @ 2s
4. Alena Amialiusik (Blr) BePink @ 3’37”
5. Rossella Ratto (Ita) Verinlegno-Fabiani
6. Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Vaiano-Tepso
7. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Hitec Products-Mistral Home
8. Judith Arndt (Ger) Orica-GreenEdge
9. Lucinda Brand (Ned) AA Drink-Leontien.nl
10. Malgorzata Jasinska (Pol) MCipollini-Giambenini
Standings stage 9
1. Marianne Vos (Ned) Stichting Rabobank
2. Emma Pooley (GBr) AA Drink-Leontien.nl @ 3’27”
3. Evelyn Stevens (USA) Specialized-lululemon @ 6’32”
4. Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Faren-Honda @ 7’39”
5. Emma Johansson (Swe) Hitec Products-Mistral Home @ 7’50”
6. Judith Arndt (Ger) Orica-GreenEdge @ 8’30”
7. Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) MCipollini-Giambenini @ 9’00”
8. Claudia Häusler (Ger) Orica-GreenEdge @ 9’13”
9. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Hitec Products-Mistral Home @ 10’07”
10. Ashleigh Moolman (RSA) Lotto-Belisol @ 10’12”