The 2023 Giro d’Italia Donne has come to a close with Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) securing her career fourth overall victory, pulling on the maglia rosa on Sunday for the last time before retirement at the end of the season.
Many questioned if this event would even happen this year after the issues between the current organisers PMG Sport/Starlight, the Italian Cycling Federation and RCS Sport over the contractual rights to manage the event.
Although it started on shaky ground, in the end, the viewers were able to watch a live broadcast of an action-packed, nine-stage Giro d’Italia Donne.
That rocky start was on the first stage, which was cancelled due to heavy rain and lightning. Also, past stage winners Italian Champion Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) and Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM), both crashed and abandoned the race.
Van Vleuten’s stronghold on the general classification proved she is in top form, even if not all of the top contenders were present including Demi Vollering (SD Worx). Many riders consider this event to be the kickoff to one of the most important blocks to a season that will now take the peloton toward the Tour de France Femmes and the World Championships.
Cyclingnews highlights five conclusions of the 2023 Giro d’Italia Donne.
Annemiek van Vleuten primed for yellow defence
Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) put on a dominant performance winning three stages and leading the race from start to finish at the 2023 Giro d’Italia Donne.
The reigning World Champion may have had a slower-than-usual start to the season, without a victory until she won the overall title at La Vuelta Femenina, but she has shown that she is back on track.
She spent some time training at altitude in Livigno ahead of this Giro, where she said she was able to train and recharge her batteries for this important block of racing that includes the Giro Donne, Tour de France Femmes and the Glasgow World Championships.
Van Vleuten, who is known for her precise training and preparations ahead of big targets, proved to be exactly where she needs to be if she wants to defend her overall title at the Tour de France Femmes, held from July 23-30.
Importantly, Van Vleuten is in her final year of racing and the Giro Donne has played a crucial role in her career progression as one of the best stage racers, time triallists and Classics contenders in the world.
Across 13 of racing at the Giro…
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