Race Report Giro d’Italia Women – Stage 5 Kopecky sprints to victory
Stage 6 of the Giro d’Italia Women was nothing short of spectacular, with Liane Lippert of Movistar Team clinched a much needed victory after a exciting final kilometer, edging out Ruth Edwards and Erica Magnaldi in a sprint finish after as long and hot stage.
How the race unfolded
The 159 km stage, the longest of this Giro was set in the picturesque region of Canelli, starting in San Benedetto del Tronto to the finish line in Chieti, featured two significant climbs: the Cermignano and the Penne with the final climb of the day in Chieti, all of the third category. The race began with a few attempts at breakaways, but none were successful until mid-stage. The peloton, led by Movistar and Lidl-Trek in the early parts of the race, kept a close watch, ensuring no rider gained too much of an advantage
Formation of the Lead Group:
Around the 35 km mark, a new break formed, also due to an unfortunate crash of Elise Chabbey, featuring Ruth Edwards (HPH), Ane Santesteban (LKF), Liane Lippert (MOV), and Erica Magnaldi (UAD). This quartet worked well together, establishing a lead of over two minutes. However, as the race progressed, the peloton, driven by Team SD Worx and FDJ-Suez, began to close the gap. The high pace saw a lot of riders struggle and being dropped so the peloton becan to shrik rapidly
The Final Climb and Sprint Finish:
As the race approached the final climb at Chieti, the gap began to diminish rapidly. With 3 km to go, the lead group was within a minute of the chasing pack. Lotte Kopecky launched an attack, followed closely by Elisa Longo Borghini who took over and countered. The chasing, thinned out peloton, followed.
Although the advantage of the now three riders, with An Santesteban being dropped, almost vaporized in the final 5 kilometers it looked like the three riders would battle it out for the victory. In the final kilometer, Erica Magnaldi was the first to make her move, followed by a powerful counter-attack from Liane Lippert. The tension was palpable as Lippert and Magnaldi battled it out, but Lippert’s impeccable timing and strength secured her the stage victory, her first victory this season after a stress fracture kept her off the bike, and the first ever in the Giro d’Italia Women!
Pos-Race reactions
Liane Lippert:
“It feels incredible to win a stage at the Giro. The final kilometers were so intense, and I knew I had to stay patient and wait for the right moment to sprint. I’m grateful for my team, who put me in the perfect position to take this win,” Lippert commented after her victory.
Elisa Longo Borghini:
Despite missing out on the stage win, Longo Borghini retained the Maglia Rosa. She reflected on the day’s efforts, saying, “It was a tough stage with a lot of attacks. I tried to control the race as much as possible, but in the end, Lippert was very strong. I’m happy to keep the leader’s jersey and will continue to fight in the upcoming stages”【
Looking Ahead
With Elisa Longo Borghini holding onto the Maglia Rosa by a slim margin, and Lotte Kopecky just seconds behind, the next stages promise to be thrilling. The upcoming stages, featuring more challenging climbs and opportunities for attacks, will be crucial in determining the overall winner of the Giro d’Italia Donne.