Race News

Giro Rosa Stage 7: Sheyla Gutierrez Takes her First Stage Win

It was the longest stage of the Giro Rosa with scorching temperatures and a broken peloton

The seventh stage of the 18th annual Giro Rosa kicked off today in Isernia where the riders cycled 142km to the finish in Baronissi making this stage the longest in distance of the Giro Rosa event.

To recap on yesterday’s Stage Six… We saw a lot less drama in the peloton as temperatures were at their highest. With many mini-attacks being made throughout, no one could get more than 10-seconds clear. The final finish came to a bunch sprint for the line with Lotta Lepisto (Cervélo Bigla) taking the win. With more exciting stages to come, here’s a reminder of the stages of the Giro Rosa 2017:

Stage 1: Aquileia – Grado 11.5 km (TTT)
Stage 2: Zoppola – Montereale Valcellina 122.3 km
Stage 3: San Fior – San Vendemiano 100 km
Stage 4: Occhiobello – Occhiobello 118 km
Stage 5: Sant’Elpidio a Mare – Sant’Elpidio a Mare 12.7 km (ITT)
Stage 6: Roseto degli Abruzzi – Roseto degli Abruzzi 116.2 km
Stage 7: Isernia – Baronissi 142 km
Stage 8: Baronissi – Palinuro 141.8 km
Stage 9: Palinuro – Polla 122.3 km
Stage 10: Torre del Greco – Torre del Greco 124 km

There are five rider jerseys up for grabs each day and after Stage Three here’s who’s wearing what as riders went into Stage 7…

PINK Jersey COLNAGO: Anna Van der Breggen (Boels Dolmans)
CYCLAMINE Jersey SELLE SMP: Annemiek Van Vleuten (Orica-Scott)
GREEN Jersey PURPLE by GLOBAL STOCK: Annemiek Van Vleuten (Orica-Scott)
WHITE Jersey COLNAGO: Floortje Mackaij (Team Sunweb)
BLUE Jersey GSG: Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle High5)

Stage 7: Isernia to Baronissi – 142 km

We found out early on in the day at an additional 3.5km had been added to the course due to roadworks, making this exceedingly long course even longer – Probably not what the riders wanted to hear! Today’s course included a sprint at 89km, a cat 2 climb at 99km and a lot of undulating terrains.

Today’s scorching temperatures forced the hand of event organisers to allow feeding from KM 0 as 154 riders started the stage. With communications dipping during the race, we were frustrated and unable to follow all the events today. We know that British rider, Dani King made a good break from the peloton and a group of 12 or 13 chasers were behind, but who was in that group… No one really knew.

With 74km covered, we had a front group of 13 riders with a lead of 2.30 over the peloton. This lead time reduced as the peloton passed through the cat 2 climb at 99km, but with the finish line closing in, that gap continued to fluctuate for the 12 leading riders.