Vos wins stage 7 of Giro Rosa

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Marianne Vos won the seventh stage in the Giro Rosa on Friday. The Rabo-Liv world champion celebrated her fourth stage victory in Italy by beating Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda) and Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS). She naturally keeps hold of the pink leader’s jersey with two stages to go.

The seventh stage took the peloton to Lombardia after a long stage transfer from San Fior on Thursday night. After a neutralized descent from the mountain in Aprica, the start took place in Tresenda in the valley. After 91.8km, the peloton of 141 riders would finish in Chiavenna.

The biggest obstacle in the relatively short stage was right after the start when from kilometre zero the peloton had to start climbing for 5.4km to Teglio, a second category climb. Emma Pooley (Lotto-Belisol) was the first on the climb and takes the mountain jersey from Orica-AIS rider Valentina Scandolara.

The peloton split in half and a breakaway of seven riders managed to ride away on the long flat section after the Treglio climb. All the well-positioned riders in the overall classification were in the first large group.

The breakaway of seven was made up of Jessie Daams for Boels-Dolmans and Scandolara, just like in Thursday’s stage. Annemiek van Vleuten was there for Rabo-Liv, Tayler Wiles for Specialized-Lululemon, Linda Villumsen for Wiggle Honda, Tatiana Antoshina for Rusvelo and Katrin Garfoot represented the colours of Orica-AIS, a team she signed for only last month.

The seven were caught 16km from the finish because of the work done by Alé-Cipollini. Their American sprinter Shelley Olds had already been on the podium three times this Giro Rosa but hasn't manage to win just yet.

The final 800 metres of the stage were an uphill drag but Vos was not deterred by it. She arrived at the line in Chiavenna beating her direct rivals by several bike lenghts. It’s her fourth stage win in Italy, and she finished on the podium on three other ocassions.

The Giro Rosa starts its final weekend with a 90.3km stage from Verbania, on the shores of Lake Maggiore to San Domenico di Varzo. The 13km finish climb is where last year, Unitedhealthcare’s Mara Abbott further laid the foundations of her overall victory after beating Marianne Vos by 1:39 to add to the 5:15 minutes she had taken on the world champion the previous day.

Vos leads the current overall classification by 54 seconds on Rabo-Liv teammate Pauline Ferrand-Prevot. Elisa Longo Borghini who rides on home ground tomorrow sits in third at 1:03 from Vos. Title defender Abbott is sixth at 3:08 back.

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