Marlen Reusser wins Giro d’Italia opening time trial and takes the maglia rosa

Swiss champion, Marlen Reusser won the opening time trial stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia Women, taking the race leader’s maglia rosa by 12 seconds ahead of her rivals.

The Movistar rider’s effort was perfectly paced, setting the fastest time at the intermediate check on the 14.2km course, and holding her advantage to the finish in the centre of Bergamo, but an average speed of 49.06kph.

She was challenged strongly by the SD Worx-Protime pair of Lotte Kopecky and Anna van der Breggen, who finished second and fourth, 12 and 20 seconds down respectively, giving the Dutch team tactical options as the race wears on.

Defending champion Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) bisected the two SD Worx riders perfectly, taking third place at 16 seconds.

The race was keenly fought throughout, with a series of top times posted by the early riders. Starting 55th of the 153 rdiers, Olympic silver medalist, Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek) clocked 17.49, and was in the hot seat for well over an hour before losing out, the former British champion eventually finishing sixth.

Of the other GC favourites Monica Trinca Colonel was best placed, the Liv-Alula-Jayco rider finishing ninth, 41 seconds down, on the same time as Henderson’s team mate Shirin van Anrooij.

Reusser was effusive in her post race interview. “I’m still very excited and I can almost not believe it that we won, it feels like a little bit surreal. I was not sure how good my TT is, it’s really a big dream of mine to win here and to wear pink.”

HOW IT HAPPENED

Men’s Giro organiser, RCS took over the race last year, but have maintained the race’s habit of beginning with a time trial, whether that be an individual effort, a prologue or a team time trial. Indeed, 2025 is the 12th consecutive edition to have opened with a race of truth, this time starting and finishing in the northern city of Bergamo.

Australian, Amber Pate (Liv-Alula-Jayco) was the first of the 153 riders to head down the ramp for the pan flat, 14.2km course, first heading out on a long opening straight, before a dead turn and returning to a intermediate timing point after 8.5km. This came immediately after beginning the more technical final few kilometres.

Pate eventually stopped the clock with a time of 19:04, though she was soon beaten Norwegian Junior time trial champion, 18-year-old Kamilla Aesebø (Uno-X Mobility) clocking an impressive time of 18:39.

However, as the day wore on, predictably the times got faster, Lidl-Trek rouleur Lauretta Hanson, taking 25 seconds off the young Norwegian. She too was soon usurped, this time by Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health), the American clocking 18:13.

Next it was Norwegian TT champion, Katrin Aalerud’s (Uno-X Mobility) turn, briefly taking the lead, before Olympic silver medalist and former British champion, Anna Henderson who took her place, an impressive 17 seconds out of Aalerud.

After more than an hour in the hot seat Henderson was beaten, first by Lieke Nooijen (Visma-Lease a Bike) then by pre-race favourite and four time winner Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime), who crossed the line in 17:42, though she never quite reached the leader’s waiting area before Reusser took her place.

Monday’s second stage sees the peloton on their road bikes for the first of the 2025 Giro’s three uphill finishes. Over its 92km the peloton climbs 1,450m as it heads north, into the Alps between Clusone and Aprica.

RESULTS

GIRO D’ITALIA WOMEN, STAGE ONE, BERGAMO > BERGAMO (14.2KM ITT)

1. Marlen Reusser (Sui) Movistar, in 17:22
2. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime, +12s
3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) UAE Team ADQ, +16s
4. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) SD Worx-Protime, +20s
5. Lieke Nooijen (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike, +24s
6. Anna Henderson (Gbr) Lidl-Trek, +27s
7. Christina Schweinberger (Aut) Fenix-Deceuninck, +30s
8. Alessia Vigilia (Ita) FDJ-SUEZ, +40s
9. Monica Trinca Colonel (Ita) Liv-Alula-Jayco, +41s
10. Shirin van Anrooij (Ned) Lidl-Trek, at same time

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE ONE

1. Marlen Reusser (Sui) Movistar, in 17:22
2. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime, +12s
3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) UAE Team ADQ, +16s
4. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) SD Worx-Protime, +20s
5. Lieke Nooijen (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike, +24s
6. Anna Henderson (Gbr) Lidl-Trek, +27s
7. Christina Schweinberger (Aut) Fenix-Deceuninck, +30s
8. Alessia Vigilia (Ita) FDJ-SUEZ, +40s
9. Monica Trinca Colonel (Ita) Liv-Alula-Jayco, +41s
10. Shirin van Anrooij (Ned) Lidl-Trek, at same time