Anna van der Breggen reels in Annemiek van Vleuten in final kilometre to take the victory on stage nine of the Giro Rosa 2019
The world champion rode a phenomenal final few kilometres to take the stage victory from the overall race leader
Anna van der Breggen (Boels-Dolmans) at last proved Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-Scott) is mortal by winning stage nine of the Giro Rosa. The world road champion caught her compatriot in the closing 750 metres and then attacked her to win by 17 seconds.
In what was a gripping final, the two Dutch women had been alone at the head of the race entering the final four kilometres, but van Vleuten attacked the Boels-Dolmans rider, dropping her. Van der Breggen managed to limit her losses, however, never letting the gap exceed 15 seconds.
Then, as she closed in on the final kilometre, with the road flattening, the gap came down. She caught the Mitcheton-Scott rider and then powered past to take the first stage win of the 2019 Giro for Boels-Dolmans.
Behind her Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (CCC-Liv) had been dropped by Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott), but managed to latch onto the Australian’s wheel, before sprinting past to take third place.
How it happened
Other than the brutal final climb, stage nine was to prove the calmest day of the race so far. The 125.5km route between Gemona del Friuli and the summit of Malga Montasio provided the seventh and final uphill finish of the ten day race, but was mostly flat until the base of the ascent, beginning around 18km out from the line.
Despite a few attacks nothing stuck until after 20km, when seven riders went clear, including former British road and time trial champion Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM).
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Barnes was joined by Nicole Steigenga (BePink), Maaike Boogaard (BTC Ljubljana), Kelly van den Steen (Lotto-Soudal Ladies), Małgorzata Jasinska (Movistar), Kseniia Dobrynina (Servetto-Piumante) and Rachel Neylan (Virtu) who gradually built a lead of one minute.
Of that group Barnes was the best placed, starting the day in 38th place, 26-52 down, meaning none of the breakaway were a threat to the overall classification.
With the gap out to 2-10, the Mitchelton-Scott team of Annemiek van Vleuten came to the head of the peloton to control the gap. And there the advantage stayed, though it briefly came down to 1.20 after the race passed the intermediate sprint in Gemona del Friuli.
Only as the race came within the final 25km did the gap begin to fall, with 25 seconds knocked off the lead in a matter of five kilometres.
As the 18km climb began the breakaway began to disintegrate and all of them were soon caught with Sunweb doing the lion’s share of the work at the head of the peloton.
The attritional climb saw riders dropping one by one, until, in the closing 10km a group of four emerged at the front of the race. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (CCC-Liv), Lucinda Brand (Sunweb) and the Mitchelton-Scott duo of Amanda Spratt and race leader Annemiek van Vleuten tackled the tree-lined climb together.
Van der Breggen had originally been separated from the group, but made her way back on before first Brand, then Spratt and Moolman-Pasio were dropped, leaving the two Dutchwomen to contest the win.
There was disaster for Brand whose chances of a general classification podium were ruined when she suffered a mechanical in the closing 200 metres and was forced to run to the line.
Tomorrow’s final stage will see the bunch cover a 120km route between San Vito Al Tagliamento and Udine. Relatively flat, with one classified climb coming in he final 15 kilometres van Vleuten’s second overall win at the Giro Rosa is likely, with her lead currently 3-50.
Results
Giro Rosa 2019, stage nine: Gemona del Friuli to Malga Montasio – (125.5km)
1. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) Boels-Dolmans, in 3-26-27
2. Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned) Mitchelton-Scott, at 17 seconds
3. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) CCC-Liv, at 1-38
4. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, at same time
5. Katie Hall (USA) Boels-Dolmans, at 1-57
6. Demi Vollering (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg, at 2-51
7. Ane Santesteban (Esp) WNT-Rotor, at same time
8.Erica Magnaldi (Ita) Wnt-Rotor, at 2-53
9.Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Trek-Segafredo, at 2-55
10. Juliette Labous (Fra) Sunweb, at 3-10
General classification after stage nine
1. Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned) Mitchelton-Scott,in 22-09-39
2. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) Boels-Dolman, at 3-50
3. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, at 7-00
4. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) CCC-Liv, at 8-05
5. Katie Hall (USA) Boels-Dolmans, at 8-09
6. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-SRAM, at 8-10
7. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Sunweb, at 8-25
8. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Trek-Segafredo, at 8-30
9. Soraya Paladin (Ita) Alé Cipollini, at 9-26
10. Erica Magnaldi (Ita) Wnt-Rotor, at 9-31
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Owen Rogers is an experienced journalist, covering professional cycling and specialising in women's road racing. He has followed races such as the Women's Tour and Giro d'Italia Donne, live-tweeting from Women's WorldTour events as well as providing race reports, interviews, analysis and news stories. He has also worked for race teams, to provide post race reports and communications.
-
Chinese X-Lab vies for global domination as it equips XDS Astana with bikes for the WorldTour
A new partnership sees Astana aboard new bikes with increased funding for 2025
By Joe Baker Published
-
Tech of the week: Van Rysel releases an aero bike (quelle surprise!) plus a superlight carbon crankset from FSA, a long top tube bag from Tailfin and tyre liners from Zefal
The RCR-F aero bike will be ridden by the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team in 2025, but will it create headlines like the RCR?
By Luke Friend Published
-
Annemiek van Vleuten will target Giro-Tour double if Giro course is 'interesting'
Dutch Olympic time trial champion says she has been looking how to "recharge" mentally and physically between two Grand Tours
By Adam Becket Published
-
Year on year improvements make Tour yellow jersey the goal for Uttrup Ludwig
Stronger FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope start the year with realistic ambition for Tour and Giro podiums
By Owen Rogers Published
-
Lorena Wiebes takes second win at Giro Donne 2021 in stage eight sprint
Once again DSM timed their lead out to perfection, while Anna van der Breggen continues in the maglia rosa
By Owen Rogers Published
-
Emma Norsgaard takes Giro Donne sprint victory in Colico on stage six
Blisteringly fast stage around Lake Como ends with Van der Breggen maintaining her GC lead
By Owen Rogers Published
-
SD Worx dominate as Anna van der Breggen wins stage two of the Giro Donne 2021
Dutch team fill the podium as Van der Breggen sets up a career fourth overall win in Italy
By Owen Rogers Published
-
UCI blames organiser for Giro Rosa being relegated from Women's WorldTour
The UCI says it has repeatedly asked Giro Rosa organisers to remedy "various shortcomings"
By Owen Rogers Published
-
Giro Rosa 2020: Anna van der Breggen seals overall as Muzic takes final stage victory
Evita Muzic won the final stage from a large breakaway while the general classification favourites fought further back
By Owen Rogers Published
-
Giro Rosa 2020: Elisa Longo Borghini takes two-up sprint on stage eight
Anna van der Breggen moves into the overall lead after coming second on the stage
By Owen Rogers Published