Pooley finishes second to Vos in Giro Donne

Britain's Emma Pooley (Garmin-Cervelo) finished second overall to a dominant Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) in the 2011 Giro Donne in Italy on Sunday.

Pooley won Friday's eighth stage, a hard mountains day that saw the British rider and Vos ride together to put time into their rivals.

On Saturday, Vos claimed her fifth stage win in the 2011 race with Pooley finishing in second place.

Hopes were high that world time trial champion Pooley might be able to take back some time on Vos on the final 16km individual time trial stage on Sunday. In the event, German Ina Teutenberg (HTC-Highroad) won the stage with Vos in third and Pooley sixth.

"Being the world time trial champion I would have liked to have been on the podium yesterday," Pooley told Cycling Weekly on Monday morning. "But having worked so hard in the hills over the previous week I was almost pleased not to do worse!

"It wasn't really a course for me, it was pan flat and you can see that from the results list, the top of which is just made up of sprinters and pursuiters."

Before the TT stage Pooley was the only rider within eight minutes of the dominant Dutchwoman in the general classification and finished 3-16 to claim second place.

Third spot overall went to German Judith Arndt (HTC-Highroad) at 8-16. Defending champion Mara Abbott (Diadora-Pasta Zara) finished tenth. 

Of her overall performance, Pooley said: "I was pleased with how I was going but Vos was better."

Brit Nicole Cooke (MCipollini-Giambenini) - who won overall in 2004 - claimed the fifth stage of the race on Tuesday. British national champion Lizzie Armitstead (Garmin-Cervelo) placed fourth on the opening stage but later withdrew from the race due to injury.

Full interview with Emma Pooley in this week's Cycling Weekly magazine, on sale from Thursday (July 14).

Giro Donne 2011: Final overall classification

1. Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit in 25-42-40

2. Emma Pooley (GB) Garmin-Cervelo at 3-16

3. Judith Arndt (Ger) HTC Highroad at 8-15

4. Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) MCipollini-Giambenini at 9-09

5. Tatiana Antoshina (Rus) Gauss at 12-46

6. Ruth Corset (Aus) Bizkaia-Durango at 12-58

7. Emma Johansson (Swe) Hitec Products-UCK at 14-15

8. Sylwia Kapusta (Pol) Gauss at 14-26

9. Shara Gillow (Aus) Bizkaia-Durango at 15-48

10. Mara Abbott (USA) Diadora-Pasta Zara at 16-29

Other

17. Sharon Laws (GB) Garmin-Cervelo at 26-00

29. Nicole Cooke (GB) MCipollini-Giambenini at 47-54

Giro Donne 2011: Related links

Pooley wins epic stage in Giro Donne

Pooley moves up to second at Giro Donne

Cooke takes Giro stage win

Pooley third in Giro after four stages

Giro Donne 2011: The Big Preview