Annemiek van Vleuten wins Giro Rosa stage seven time trial with huge margin to take overall lead

UCI Time Trial World Champion, Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-Scott) won the mountain time trial at stage seven of the Giro Rosa, moving into the overall lead.

Van Vleuten, who won the deceptively hilly ITT at the Italian stage race last year, completed the 15 kilometre uphill course in 46 minutes 6 seconds - opting to use a time trial bike whilst many others chose road bikes. 

The Dutch rider's nearest competitor was Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Cervelo-Bigla), who reached the finish line 2-29 down; Lucinda Brand (Team Sunweb) was next, 2-54 slower than Van Vleuten - who took third spot on the overall podium at the end of the 2017 race.

Other key general classification threats include Megan Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans) who won the race in 2016, but was 3-17 slower than Van Veluten to sit in sixth overall. Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle High5) was second overall in 2017 and came in 3-28 down - she now holds the ninth spot on the GC, and the best Italian rider's jersey.

Canyon-SRAM Katarzyna Niewiadoma was 3-28 in arrears to move into fifth overall.

Van Vleuten takes the maglia rosa from her team mate, Amanda Spratt, who charged ahead during the mountain preceding a summit finish on stage six. She left Van Vleuten comfortably in the lead group, in what appears to have been a well staged two-part scheme.

Newly crowned British National Time Trial champion Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM) did not start stage seven, having sustained a broken collarbone in a crash on stage six.

Stage eight will be a 126km day from San Giorgio di Perlena to Breganze, with three climbs along the way - then stage nine sees the peloton attack the Monte Zoncalon.

Results:

Giro Rosa 2018 Stage seven, Lanzada – Campo Moro (15km TT):

1) Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton Scott) in 46-06

2) Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Cervelo-Bigla Pro Cycling) at 2-29

3) Lucinda Brand (Team Sunweb) at 2-54

4) Megan Guarnier (Boels Dolmans Cycling) at 3-17

5) Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton Scott) at 3-26

6) Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle High5) at 3-28

7) Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon SRAM Racing) at 3-38

8) Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Cervelo-Bigla Pro Cycling) at 4-06

9) Alice Maria Arzuffi (Bizkaia Durango Euskadi) at 4-18

10) Tayler Wiles (Trek-Drops) at 4-30

General Classification after stage seven

1) Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton Scott) in 16-25-23

2) Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton Scott) at 2-53

3) Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Cervelo-Bigla Pro Cycling) at 2-54

4) Lucinda Brand (Team Sunweb) at 3-01

5) Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon SRAM Racing) at 4-21

6) Megan Guarnier (Boels Dolmans Cycling) at 4-33

7) Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Cervelo-Bigla Pro Cycling) at 4-39

8) Rush Winder (Team Sunweb) at 5-52

9) Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle High5) at 6-34

10) Sabrina Stultiens (Waowdeals Pro Cycling Team) at 6-36