Remarkable Vos dominates Mortirolo stage

Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) continued her remarkable string of success at the Giro Donne with a solo victory on a stage which tackled the feared Passo Mortirolo ascent. The maglia rosa wearer earned her fourth stage victory of the Giro as she bested runner-up Tatiana Guderzo (SC MCipollini Giordana) by 1:13 while Lucinda Brand (AA Drink - Leontien.nl Cycling Team) outsprinted Judith Arndt (HTC Highroad Women) for third eight seconds later.

Emma Pooley (Garmin-Cervelo), who started the descent of the Mortirolo to the finish in the company of Vos at the head of the race, finished in fifth, 1:34 behind the Dutchwoman.

Vos started the day with a 24-second advantage over Sylwia Kapusta (Gauss) and a 52-second margin over Pooley on general classification, but would greatly extend her overall lead by the end of the 122km stage from Rovato to Grosotto. Vos now leads Pooley by 2:36 and Tatiana Guderzo (SC MCipollini Giordana) by 4:51.

In addition to building a substantial GC lead, Vos also tops the points and mountains classifications in vintage Merckx-esque fashion.

The stage began on a sombre note with a moment of silence observed on the start line for Australia's Carly Hibberd, who was killed the previous day when she was struck by a car while on a training ride north of Milan.

Sixteen kilometres into the stage 12 riders escaped to form the early break. The group was comprised of Julia Martisova (Gauss), Martine Bras and Roxane Knetemann (Netherlands), Lucinda Brand and Chantal Blaak (AA Drink-Leontien.nl Cycling Team), Ina Yoko Teutenberg (HTC Highroad Women), Francesca Tognali (Kleo Ladies Team), Nicole Cooke (SC MCipollini Giordana), Sara Mustonen (Hitec Products-UCK), Ludivine Henrion (Lotto Honda Team), Maaike Polspoel (Topsport Vlaanderen 2012-Ridley Team) and Carla Ryan (Garmin-Cervelo).

The break had stretched out a maximum advantage of 6:40 after 74km of racing and the escape soon shattered once they began the Mortirolo ascent.

The climb also decimated the field as an elite selection comprised of race leader Vos, Guderzo, Pooley, Arndt, 2010 Giro Donne champion Mara Abbott (Diadora-Pasta Zara) and Ruth Corset (Bizkaia-Durango) left the peloton behind.

At the head of affairs Brand, Teutenberg and Ryan climbed together on the upper slopes of the Mortirolo while the Vos group steadily picked off and dropped the remaining escapees one by one. The flyweight climber Pooley periodically surged from the chase group with only Vos being able to respond each time. Pooley would back off the throttle and Guderzo, Arndt, Abbott and Corset would re-join.

Pooley and Vos would separate themselves from their fellow chasers for good in the final kilometres prior to the mountain prime line. The duo passed and dropped Teutenberg, who finally fell off the pace at the front, and then caught Brand and Ryan inside the climb's last kilometre.

Pooley upped the pace 500m prior to the mountain prime, but Vos proved more than up to the challenge as she bridged to Pooley and dropped her to earn maximum points alone. Pooley followed seconds later and soon afterwards Arndt and Guderzo reached the top having passed Ryan and Brand just prior to the mountain prime line.

There was still a stint of false flat to negotiate prior to the descent to Grosotto, and Pooley managed to join Vos in the race lead while Arndt, Guderzo and Brand rode together in pursuit.

While the Mortirolo ascent whittled down the peloton to a select few by the summit, it was the 14km descent to the finish in Grosotto where Vos showcased her all-around skills on a bike as she soon dispatched of Pooley and distanced all of her GC rivals still within striking distance at the summit.

By the time Vos reached the finish line she had put more than one minute into her closest pursuer and added large chunks of time to her general classification lead.

"The pink jersey provides a special emotion," said Vos. "And today it was this jersey which gave me the strength to win. I was not alone on the uphill, as I pedaled I thought of Carly Hibberd, who passed away yesterday. I did not know her, but we have in common the passion for this wonderful sport.

"Today, the race has seen the best from me and my team. The climb was conducted at a pace not too high which allowed me to stay with the best and to cross the summit in first position. I'm really happy with how things are going in my Giro, but I'm aware that it is not finished yet."