As it happened: Stage 4 mountain time trial produces huge time gaps at the top of the Giro d'Italia Women overall

Welcome to stage 4 of the 2026 Giro d'Italia Women and it's individual time trial day.

The Giro has a long tradition of time trials which goes way back. Whether it be a short prologue, a team time trial or an individual mountain effort like today.

Today is a tough mountain time trial set to paint the first GC picture of the race.

Such is the route for today's TT we're likely to get a new race leader, but yesterday Elisa Balsamo took a third stage and maglia rosa.
Balsamo powered to her hat-trick victory on stage 3 with searing uphill sprint.

We start at 13:20CET in Belluno for the 12.7km race to Nevegal, with the first rider off at 13:20 and the last at 16:02.
Giro d'Italia women stage 4 time trial start times.

Elena Cecchini is still on home roads for today's TT, though we're further west than yesterday's stage. And further into the mountains, north of Vittorio Veneto, a city Sunday's stage passed through.

The first rider off

The first rider for this year's race is Ilaria Marinetto, the Mendelspeck E-Work rider was in the breakaway on stage one, but started today as the last rider on the general classification.

Two of Marinetto's team mates, Sara Segala and Katelyn Nicholson are the next two off the ramp.

Riders start at one minute intervals in the reverse order of the general classification, so Elisa Balsamo will be the final rider.

The route is a tough one. Just 12.7km, it comes in two halves.
The first 5.3km to the intermediate time check is up and down and averages only 1.5% gradient.

The remaining 7.4km is horrendous, with an average gradient of 8%, there are early ramps of 12% before the slope eases off to something more manageable.

Though the early riders head off the ramp at one minute intervals, the final 15, will start with three minute intervals.

Robyn Clay (Picnic-PostNL) has just started. the British rider is among the first of the WorldTour team riders off the ramp. Clay is in her first year at this level, after coming to the sport late in life.

Eleonora La Bella (Aromitalia Vaiano) just started. She wore the blue mountains jersey in yesterday's stage after taking maximum point on Sunday's only climb at Ca' del Poggio.

Katelyn Nicholson has the current best time at the intermediate time check, the Australian stopping the clock in 10:38.

No sooner do we say that than she is eclipsed by Beckie Storrie, the British Picnic-PostNL rider clocking 10:10.

120 riders to go

Valentina Zanzi (Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria) is the 24th to start, leaving 120 left to start.
Storrie is still the fastest at the intermediate, which came at 5.3km.

We saw Mikayla Harvey in a nasty crash during yesterday's stage, sadly the SD Worx-Protime rider has been forced to with draw from the Giro this morning.
The loss will limit the support for their GC rider, Anna van der Breggen in the coming mountain stages.

Storrie is standing the test of time, no one is yet inside 20 seconds of her 10:10 at the intermediate time check.
She's done well in mountain TTs before, finishing 16th on stage 2 of the 2024 Tour de Suisse.

No one is yet at the finish, which is an indication of just how hard today is, it's 31 minutes since the first rider started the 12.7km course!

Soraya Paladin (Canyon-Sram) has just started. She's a strong all-rounder, with a big engine for a time trial, but she may take it relatively easy to preserve herself for tomorrow.

100 riders to go

Matra Pavesi (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) heads down the ramp and we're inside the final 100 riders.
But we have a new fastest intermediate time, Marit Raaijmakers (Human Powered Health) setting a time of 10:02.

And Becky Storrie is the first to finish, the Picnic-PostNL rider clocking 35.57. She was sixth to start, so has put in a magnificent ride.

Though we're likely to see a new race leader, so a new maglia rosa, Elisa Balsamo has a 55 point lead in the points classification, so she'll keep the red jersey as there is a maximum of 15 points on offer today.

Storrie's time remains well over two minutes faster than anyone who has so far finished. She's blown it away, but where will she be at the end of the day?

Plenty of riders are choosing to use road bikes for the uphill section of the race. Here Nienke Veeenhoven (Visma-Lease a Bike) climbs towards a time of 38.54, currently in third place.

80 riders to go

With Matilde Vitillo (Liv-Alula-Jayco) off the ramp we're inside the final 80 riders.
Despite Marit Raaijmakers beating her intemediate time, Storrie continues to lead, her lead 20 seconds on Raaijmakers.

Over the years the Giro organisers have often put an uphill TT in the race.

In 2016 it was a tough uphill followed by a descent to the coast at Varazze, which is on the road to San Remo. Evie Stevens won that day, with Boels-Dolmans team mate, Megan Guarnier, second and winning the overall GC a few days later in Verbania.

After a torrid opening few stages, Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal) has just clocked 9.56 at the intermediate time check.

But the big news is a leader at the finish, Valentina Venerucci (Aromitalia Vaiano) has set a time of 35.29, taking 28 seconds out of Storrie.

Venerucci is from the micro state of San Marino and the 32 year-old is well know as a more than useful climber.

Venerucci has only been in the sport a few years, but started her sporting life as a distance runner, specialising in the 5,000m and off-track disciplines.

In the 2017 Giro, Annemiek van Vleuten won in the broiling heat and brutal, 20% slopes to Sant'elpidio a Mare on the Adriatic coast. Anna van der Breggen was second and won the GC that year. She's here this year riding for SD Worx-Protime.

60 riders to go

Sofia Arici (Vini Fantini-BePink) is off down the ramp. She began the day 3.31 behind Elisa Balsamo's GC time.
Valentina Venerucci continues to lead the stage.

Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ United-Suez) in the Italian time trial champion's skin suit.

While Venerucci continues to lead the race, there's a new best intermediate time for 22-year-old Frenchwoman, Solène Muller (St Michel - Preference Home - Auber93), clocking 9.50.

Pan-American TT champion, Kritsen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly) has switched from her TT bike to a road bike, but it was a slow change. We'll find out whether the swap was worth it.
She was not in the top 10 at the intermediate point.

Meanwhile, Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal) has moved into second place. She seemed to be struggling in the first two stages, but this result will give her huge confidence ahead of the mountain stages to come.

It was Van Vleuten again at the 2018 Giro. Like today's race, it was a true Alpine mountain time trial, it started in Lanzada and climbed to the reservoir at Diga di Campo Moro, about 300km west of today's stage.

40 riders to go

Chiara Consonni heads down the ramp and we have 40 women yet to start.
Venerucci continues to lead the time trial, with Solène Muller setting the best intermediate time, though Lucinda Brand (Lidl-Trek) ran her very close.

Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) won a mountain stage of the Giro back in 2018, on her way to finishing third overall.
The Australian is retiring at the end of the seasoon, so this is her final Giro.

Marion Bunel is the leader for Visma-Lease a Bike and she just moved into second place at the intermediate check, one second behind Muller.

And Solène Muller (St Michel - Preference Home - Auber93) sets a anew fastest time of 34:37, putting a stunning 52 seconds into Venerucci.

We're getting towards the big names now, Urška Žigart (AG Insurance-Soudal) has just started, and Marlen Reusser (Movistar) is off in a couple of minutes.

Marlen Reusser, in the rainbow skinsuit of time trial World Champion is off! Will she be the new race leader? She started the day 30 seconds behind overall leader, Balsamo, but on the same time as rivals like Demi Vollering (FDJ United-SUEZ).

20 riders to go

Isabella Holmgren (Lidl-Trek) gets her time trial under way and we only have 20 riders left to start. Holmgren is another rider to have started the day 30 seconds behind the overall lead.

After running Solène Muller so close at the intermediate check point, Marion Muller loses time on the main part of the climb, stopping the clock 14 seconds behind her French compatriot.

They raced in the Alps again in the 2019 Giro TT, with the same result, Van Vleuten putting 52 seconds into Van der Breggen over the 12.1km between Chiuro and Teglio. The Dutch rider even caught her two-minute woman, Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-Sram) on the line.

We've had the World time trial champion start, now it's the turn of the road race rainbow jersey, Magdeleine Vallieres (EF Education-Oatly).

Full focus for Marion Bunel (Visma-Lease a Bike)

Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset (UNO-X Mobility) leads at the intermediate check point with 9.35, Reusser was four seconds back.

15 riders to go

Mie Bjørndal Ottestad (UNO-X Mobility) is on the road, now, 14 women to go and we've started the three minute intervals between riders.

After a pan flat Team Time Trial in 2020, we had to wait until the 2021 Giro for Van der Breggen to win the Alpine TT at Formazza, north of Milan.
Her SD Worx team mate Demi Vollering was second that day, finishing 3rd on GC. That was Vollering's last Giro, how will she fare riding for FDJ United-SUEZ this year?

Monica Trinca Colonel (Liv-Alula-Jayco) opted for a solid aero disc wheel for her ride today, while others are going for low-profile climbing wheels.

Trinca colonel takes the best time at the intermediate check, 9.23 for the Italian climber. But how will that wheel affect her on the tough gradients?

After a mechanical almost wrecked her race on Monday's stage 3, German champion, Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-Sram) is on the road.

Great ride from Nina Buijsman (Human Powered Health, the Dutch woman taking provisional third place.

10 riders to go

Another Human Powered Health rider, Barbara Malcotti has just set off and we have 10 riders left to start.
The fastest intermediate time is from Monica Trinca Colonel with 9.23.
The fastest overall finsih time is Solène Muller who stopped the clock at 34.37.

In her first year at WorldTour level, Lauren Dickson (FDJ United-SUEZ) is off the ramp now, her team mate, Demi Vollering is next.

Vollering is off. One of the best climbers in the World, the Dutch rider is also one of the best time trialists.

But we have a new fastest time, Marlen Reusser (Movistar) sets a time of 32.42, deposing Urška Žigart who had clocked 33.32.
That's a stunning 50 second lead for the Swiss woman.

Femke de Vries (Visma-Lease a Bike has opted for a full time trial set up, she's had a great season, but will the extra weight affect her?
Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek) is on a road bike with TT extension bars.

5 riders to go

Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) hits the road for her effort on a TT bike.
Isabella Holmgren finishes in third place, 51 seconds behind Reusser, a stunning performance from the 21-year-old Canadian.

Having set the best intermediate time, Trinca Colonel takes a provisional second place, 27 seconds behind race leader, Marlen Reusser.

Vollering hits the intermediate after 5.3km as the fourth best placed rider. The virtual standings have her faster than Reusser though.

We're deep into the final set of riders now, Célia Gery (FDJ United-SUEZ) is on the road, Margaux Vigié has just set off.
We only have defending champion, Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ), Lily Williams (Human Powered Health) and Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) left to start.

At the intermediate time check Anna van der Breggen takes 24 seconds out of Tinca Colonel's previous best time. Can she really prove she's back and win this TT?

Antonia Niedermaier puts in a monster ride, the Canyon-Sram moving into second place, clocking 33.04, 22 seconds down.

The virtual standings have Van der Breggen putting a significant time into Demi Vollering. This is really going to be tight.

Last rider on the road

Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) is on the road, while her namesake, former team mate and compatriot, Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) is underway on a pure road bike.

Van der Breggen's ride is incredible, she's in the compact, aero time trial position the whole way. That's testament to the time she's put in on the bike and her core strength.

The final kilometre is relatively flat compared to earlier parts of the course, the average gradient is only 3.8%.

Van der Breggen, still in the TT position is spinning away on the steep slopes, while Vollering is now inside the final 2km on easier gradients. On TT bikes, both will gain significant advantages from their aero set ups.

Lauren Dickson has performed once again, taking fourth place. She's another woman to have come to the sport later in life, having been an international runner.

Vollering going deep now with 500m to go.

Vollering crosses the line after a huge effort and takes second place, six seconds behind Reusser.
Great from Vollering, but remember, for Reusser this is her first race back after a fracture to a vertebrae.

Van der Breggen started nine minutes after Vollering, we still have Silvia Persico (UAE team ADQ) and Niamh Fisher-Black in between.

Elisa Balsamo won't be wearing pink for tomorrow's stage, the Lidl-Trek rider is way down at the intermediate time check.

2km to go for Van der Breggen and she's starting to labour, out of the saddle over the steepest part, she's back on the skis for the final push.

Van der Breggen has under two minutes to ride the final kilometre if she wants to beat Reusser's time.
That pair and Vollering were team mates when Van der Breggen was sports director at SD Worx.
Another former SD Worx rider, Niamh Fisher Black moves into the top 10.

Van der Breggen moves into an incredible first place, stopping the clock 1.04 faster than Reusser.
Easily her best ride since returning from three years retirement.
Will anyone beat her time?
Can anyne beat her in the road stages?

A beautiful sporting moment as Reusser, wearing her rainbow skin suit, congratulates Van der Breggen.

Longo Borghini blasts past Margaux Vigié on her way up the mountain, while Célie Gery (FDJ United-SUEZ), wearing the white young rider's jersey, crosses the line well down on Van der Breggen's time.

Longo Borghini is now inside the final kilometre, but already close outside Van der Breggen's time.

Longo Borghini crosses the line 1.51 down on Van der Breggen's time, putting her in eighth place, with just two riders to finish.

Even before Lily Williams and Elisa Balsamo finish, we've seen our stage winner. Balsamo is a minute outside Van der Breggen's time with more than 2.5km yet to ride.

And that's it. Elisa Balsamo crosses the line 9.14 behind Anna van der Breggen's time as the rain begins to fall. Van der Breggen wins the day and takes the overall lead by more than one minute.

That was an incredible ride from Anna van der Breggen and easily her most impressive since returning to competition after spending three seasons as a sports director, even if it has been coming.
Only last month she was flying at the Vuelta Femenina, winning a montain stage and wearing the leader's jersey before losing out on l'Angliru.
The upcoming mountain stages are hard, but it is conceivalbe that she will win her fifth Giro 11 years after her first.

"I really did not expect it, incredible, I'm really happy with it," Van der Breggen said.

"I hope I'm an example that you need to keep fighting and in the end it will come again, you are never there in one step, but if you keep working hard then for sure. I worked really hard the last two years to get to this point again, and winning again in this way means really a lot to me."

Though her lead is more than one minute and she's clearly flying, the Giro is not over. The rest of the top 10 are within two minutes and threats could come from everywhere, especially as her team is now depleted from the loss of Lorena Wiebes and Mikayla Harvey.

Demi Vollering and Marlen Reusser must be her greatest challengers but Antonia Niedermaier is fast growing into a top class GC rider.

Reusser was characteristically circumspect about her second place, but the Movistar rider is clearly in good form, though whether she can hold that is to be seen. She's barely raced this year so good drop off as any lack of fitness is exposed, or she could grow into the race.

Vollering seemed more disappointed and while she's a pure winner and would love to win a first Giro title, she - and her French team - will have their eyes on yellow later this summer.

Despite the hype surrounding Saturday's stage over the Colle delle Finestre to Sestriere, Wednesday's fifth stage is perhaps the most challenging of the week. With 3,330m of climbing and four classified climbs over the 146km and some hungry riders looking to close the gap to Van der Breggen, there's bound to be fireworks.

It all starts at 12:55CET, ad we'll be there bringing you more live coverage. Thanks for joining us today, see you tomorrow.