Elisa Longo Borghini heading in the right direction to stage victory and general race lead(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Grace Brown (FDJ SUEZ) on the course of stage 1 of the Giro d’Italia Ladies 2024, the place she rode into second place(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Brodie Chapman made it two on the rostrum for Lidl-Trek along with her third place end(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) racing on the course – she completed in fifth place on the opening stage(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Magdeleine Vallieres of FF Training-Cannondale (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck) using on the course(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Fem Van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike) (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Elisa Balsamo provides additional firepower to the extraordinarily robust Lidl-Trek staff(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Neve Bradbury (Canyon//SRAM)(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Elise Chabbey racing the time trial on stage 1 on the Giro d’Italia Ladies(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Lidl-Trek on the opening celebrations of the Giro d’Italia Ladies(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Elisa Longo Borghini takes the maglia rosa after successful the opening time trial on the Giro d’Italia Ladies(Picture credit score: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Elisa Longo Borghini dons the maglia rosa after successful the time trial on stage 1 on the Giro d’Italia Ladies(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Elisa Longo Borghini celebrates carrying the maglia rosa(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Lieke Nooijen wears one of the best younger rider jersey after the time trial on stage 1 on the Giro d’Italia Ladies(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Elisa Longo Borghini wears the dash jersey after the time trial on stage 1 on the Giro d’Italia Ladies(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) received the opening ITT stage of the 2024 Giro d’Italia Ladies, protecting the 15.7-kilometre course in Brescia in 20:37 minutes, one second forward of Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez) and 13 seconds forward of Brodie Chapman (Lidl-Trek).
Like a lot of the GC favourites, Longo Borghini had opted for an early begin time to keep away from the afternoon showers after which spent over two hours within the hotseat. When the final rider had crossed the road, Longo Borghini broke out in tears of pleasure, securing solely the second maglia rosa of her lengthy profession.
“It’s been an extended wait and actually emotional. For an Italian, carrying the maglia rosa is an enormous deal, and to be right here with such a powerful staff as Lidl-Trek has and to be so well-supported is actually nice. Final 12 months was actually troublesome for me, and I actually needed to present it a great first shot. I’ve been dreaming of the maglia rosa for therefore lengthy and made it my aim,” Longo Borghini stated after the stage.
“That is for all my teammates and for my husband, who calmed me down yesterday. I used to be like ‘tomorrow, I simply go down out of the field like a cannonball’, and he stated, ‘oh no, no, simply tempo your self, comply with the pacing’, and so I did. Thanks, Jacopo, and once more, thanks for the whole lot you do for me,” the brand new maglia rosa completed with a heartfelt message to her husband, Lidl-Trek rider Jacopo Mosca.
The way it unfolded
Beginning and ending within the centre of Brescia, the ITT started with an out-and-back portion to the northwest of town. An intermediate time was taken on the turning level after 6.8km, and after returning to Brescia, riders confronted the climb to the fortress overlooking town adopted by a technical descent and the run-in to the end.
With rain forecast for the afternoon, lots of the GC favourites selected to begin very early. Juliette Labous (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) was the eighth rider to begin and set the primary benchmark when she stopped the clock after 21:06 minutes.
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) took 4 seconds off that to take the lead, however lower than three minutes later, it was Longo Borghini’s flip to complete. She was 25 seconds sooner than Kopecky, and when Brown completed one second slower than the Italian, Longo Borghini might settle into the hotseat for her lengthy wait.
Elena Hartmann (Roland) stopped the clock at 21:05 minutes. Lieke Nooijen (Visma-Lease a Bike) completed in precisely 21 minutes, sufficient to take the white U23 jersey. Gaia Realini (Lidl-Trek) did a great efficiency contemplating she’s a light-weight climber, ending in twenty fifth place, 1:08 slower than her teammate Longo Borghini.
Mavi García (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) misplaced extra time, ending in 21:50 minutes, and Liane Lippert (Movistar Group) went even slower with 23 minutes. Silvia Persico (UAE Group ADQ) posted a time of twenty-two:14 minutes, six seconds sooner than Neve Bradbury (Canyon-SRAM). Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez) completed in 21:59 minutes.
Because the rain clouds began to return to Brescia, it turned a lot more durable to publish a prime time. Silke Smulders (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) crashed on the cobbled descent from the fortress, although the Dutchwoman might proceed the race and stopped the clock after 21:53 minutes, ending in thirty third place.
Regardless of the showers, Chapman set the third-best time of the day in 20:50 minutes, and Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Well being) completed in 21:07 minutes, sufficient for eighth place.
When Thi That Nguyen (Roland) completed, Longo Borghini’s wait was over, and he or she might rejoice the stage victory and her second maglia rosa.
The Giro d’Italia Ladies continues on Monday with stage 2 from Sirmione to Volta Mantovana.
