Giro Rosa: Cromwell wins stage 4 in Lovere

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Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM) took a surprise win, and an early birthday gift to herself, on what had been dubbed 'the last sprint stage' of the Giro d'Italia Femminile on Tuesday. She won the group sprint in Lovere ahead of Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Lensworld-Zannata) and Aude Biannic (Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86).

"It was amazing," Cromwell said. "I thought I started my sprint too early but the team has put me in the best place at the best time. I have made the best birthday present to myself for tomorrow."

With the field finishing together, Evelyn Stevens (Boels-Dolmans) maintained her lead in the overall classification.

Stage 4 of the Giro d'Italia Femminile was one of the last opportunities for the sprinters. The 98.5km stage started in Costa Volpino and ended in Lovere, taking the peloton on a jaunt through the Lombardia region and along the Iseo Lake.

There was one small climb on route just after the women took off from Costa Volpino at the QOM Pianico, category 3, won by the Hungarian national champion Monika Kiraly (S.C. Michela Fanini), with Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle High5) in second place.

The riders then raced along the Val Cavallina until Trescore Balneario, then to Gorlago. But the race mainly stayed together for the ride to Lovere with Boels-Dolmans patrolling the front for their overall leader Stevens.

The women descended into the Village of Costa Mezzate, where the race flattened out toward Sarnico. The last 40km traced the east side of the Iseo Lake.

They contested an intermediate sprint in Sale Marasino at 71km, won by Megan Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans), before the real test at the finish line in Lovere. The field came into the last 15 kilometres completely together for the highly anticipated bunch sprint. Boels-Dolmans and Wiggle High5 were the primary lead-out trains heading into the finale.

Cromwell is fast and strong in the classics, but generally not considered a bunch sprinter, typically leading out her teammates in the sprints. But she entered the finale in perfect position and proved to be the cagiest and fastest on the day in Lovere, making it the second win in a row for Australia after Wiggle High5's Chloe Hosking won the previous day.

"I'm super happy with this victory," Cromwell told Cyclingnews. "It's been a very long time between drinks and it's such a nice feeling to be back on the top step. I couldn't have done it without the support of my entire Canyon//SRAM racing team. They were amazing, they believed in me, gave me the opportunity and I'm just really happy I could finish off the job and reward them for their hard work today."

The climbers will have their day in the big mountains on Wednesday's stage 5 from Grosio to Tirano that passes over the Passo Mortirolo.

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