The 33rd edition of the Giro d’Italia Donne saw Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) return to the top step of the overall podium for a third time, while Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) bumped her stage win tally up to 32, but the longest race on the women’s calendar was far more than a triumph for the doyens of the peloton. A new group of contenders also rose to the challenge.
The positioning of the established Italian Grand Tour just weeks ahead of the much-lauded return of the Tour de France Femmes meant some of the usual suspects were turning their attention toward yellow, giving more freedom for a new generation of riders to chase stage victories and pink in Italy.
That opened the way for the likes of 24-year-old Marta Cavalli, who led FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope with a stunning show of just how capable she truly is, not only as a climber but also with her ability to wear the pressure of a leading role.
For Cavalli and also Niamh Fisher-Black, who finished fifth as she got the chance to lead the charge for SD Worx, it was a chance to step up at a race where they had already clearly showed promise. For Neve Bradbury (Canyon-SRAM), meanwhile, it was a first opportunity at the race – and one she took full advantage of.
This interplay of established and upcoming riders, plus all those in between, delivered 10 stages of exciting racing, which we got to watch unfold live this year. It also revealed plenty, from the form of the riders for the next crucial big race ahead – which starts in Paris in less than two weeks – to those who we will likely be watching for many years to come.
Here are Cyclingnews’ eight conclusions from the 2022 Giro d’Italia Donne.
Van Vleuten: formidable but fallible
Annemiek van Vleuten came into this Giro d’Italia Donne as the outright favourite, and she did not disappoint, winning the overall title for the third time in her career after back-to-back victories in 2018 and 2019.
She hadn’t raced since her win at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and suffered a broken wrist while training in April. However, her tried-and-true altitude training camps put the finishing touches on her form ahead of the Giro d’Italia Donne and the Tour de France Femmes, with the rider now halfway to her goal of winning both titles.
The Giro’s fourth stage wasn’t meant to be a GC decider, but a couple of tricky descents prompted her to attack early so she could safely negotiate them at her own…
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