2024 Giro d’Italia Women: Elisa Longo-Borghini Secures Historic Overall Victory

The Giro Donne is no longer. Enter, the Giro d’Italia Women. This long-standing women’s stage race is now in its 34th year despite several name changes. And this year, running from July 7 through the 14, it stands to be even more exciting than usual, thanks to the shift in dates for the Tour de France Femmes. Now, rather than serving as a final preparation race for riders hoping to perform well at the Tour, it takes place well over a month prior, so riders can go all-out without worrying about how fatigue could impact their Tour performance.

>>How to Watch the 2024 Giro d’Italia Women

July 14 - Stage 8 - Pescara to L'Aquila - 117km

Stage Winner: Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Race Leader: Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)

In the final stage of the Giro d’Italia Women, all eyes were on Lidl-Trek’s Elisa Longo Borghini and SD Worx-Protime’s Lotte Kopecky, who were separated in the GC standings by a mere second.

The peloton itself had been severely whittled down in recent days: EF Education-Cannondale only had two riders left from their six-rider squad, while Cofidis only had three. Canyon//SRAM lost a key rider in Elise Chabbey as Lidl Trek lost Elisa Balsamo.

Lidl-Trek worked hard to control the pace even as other teams tried to go for attacks, and there was no successful early breakaway. A breakaway would have a good chance of sticking in a race with a brutal steep finish line climb—if one could separate from the peloton.

The peloton itself did begin to whittle down as the pace stayed high, but finally, Kim Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal), Franziska Koch (dsm-firmenich PostNL), and Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health) were able to get away from the bunch. SD Worx Protime’s Niamh Fischer-Black worked to bring the peloton back up to the breakaway, while Lidl-Trek’s squad was comfortable to sit back in the bunch. Loas Adegeest (FDJ-Suez) launched another attack to try to bridge up to the leaders, but ended up in no man’s land between the peloton and the leaders.

By seven kilometers to go, it was clear that Kopecky was starting to worry about the breakaway, but no SD Worx Protime riders were able to work more than Fischer-Black, who was already at the front of the roughly 30-rider peloton.

FDJ-Suez’s Grace Brown was the first in the peloton to attack on the climb, with Longo Borghini and Kopecky close behind as the gap to the leaders began to drop. Mavi García (Liv AlUla Jayco) also went with the attack, and a few other riders were able to bridge to the attack. Clearly, this was a Longo Borghini versus Kopecky moment, and neither could separate from the other.

García and Brown were able to gain a slight advantage on the field as the gap to the breakaway closed to 53 seconds, and Edwards set the pace in the breakaway group.

In the final steep kilometer, the peloton was still largely together, Longo Borghini and Kopecky stuck together like glue. The gap to the breakaway was dropping in the last meters, but it seemed impossible that the peloton would catch the trio. Behind them, Kopecky attacked, and Longo Borghini predictably hopped on her wheel.

35th giro ditalia women 2024 ndash stage 8

Luc Claessen//Getty Images

But Le Court was the one to take the win with Edwards and Koch behind her, but all eyes were admittedly on the charging pack behind. Longo Borghini made a huge attack in the final meters as Kopecky could not answer. Longo Borghini took the overall win in a dramatic, emotional fashion with daylight behind her and a moment to celebrate.

“Today, we started and people were doubting, they said ‘Kopecky would outsprint you,’” Longo-Borghini said. “I’m proud to wear the maglia rosa jersey in Italy. I will need some time to realize what I’ve done.”

Results from Stage 8

Kimberley Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health)
Franziska Koch (dsm-firmenich)
Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl Trek)
Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL)
Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck)
Neve Bradbury (Canyon//SRAM)
Mavi Garcia (Liv AlUla Jayco)
Justine Ghekiere (AG INsurance-Soudal)

General Classification Standings After Stage 8

Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime)
Neve Bradbury (Canyon//SRAM)
Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck)
Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL)
Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM)
Gaia Realini (Lidl Trek)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ)
Mavi Garcia (Liv AlUla Jayco)
Niamh Fisher Black (SD Worx-Protime)

July 13 - Stage 7 - Lanciano to Blockhaus - 120 km

Stage winner: Neve Bradbury (Canyon//SRAM)
Race leader: Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)

The queen stage of the Giro d’Italia Women did not disappoint, with big climbs, strong attacks, and a battle between the top GC contenders in the final kilometers. Canyon//SRAM’s Neve Bradbury played the final climb perfectly with a well-timed solo attack that dropped GC leaders Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) and Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime).

This stage had several notable absences on the start line. UAE Team ADQ’s Chiarra Consonni withdrew, as did Canyon//SRAM’s Elise Chabbey, FDJ-SUEZ’s Vittoria Guazzini, and Maud Oberman (Visma-Lease a Bike).

By the steep Passo Lanciano climb—the first big climb of the day—the lead group had whittled down to about 20 riders. Earlier, Claire Steels (Movistar) was the only rider who managed to make any attack stick, though she was quickly reeled in... twice.

Unfortunately, EF Education-Cannondale’s Clara Emond was forced to abandon the race mid-stage, along with several other racers who dropped out due to heat or crashes.

As the small group of leaders headed into the final long climb of the stage, the Blockhaus, Lidl Trek’s Gaia Realini, took control of the pace, charging hard with GC leader and teammate Longo Borghini on her wheel. Kopecky, just seconds behind Longo Borghini in the GC, managed to stay in the group as riders including third and fourth place GC contenders Cecile Ludwig Uttrup (FDJ-Suez) and Juliette Labous (dsm firmenich) dropped behind.

Riders in the lead group included Mavi García and Urška Žigart of Liv AlUla Jayco, Niamh Fisher-Black (SD Worx Protime), Antonia Niedermaier and Neve Bradbury of Canyon//SRAM, Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck).

With 10 kilometers to go, Bradbury attacked with Rooijakkers tight behind as the eight riders left in front splintered from a group to a long line of riders. Kopecky covered Longo Borghini, staying close to her main competitor. Longo Borghini managed to close down the gap to the two leaders, bringing Niedermaier with her.

Next, Longo Borghini attacked, but was quickly swarmed by the other four riders. Next up was Bradbury attacking, with Longo Borghini trying to cover her move, but struggling to close the gap. Bradbury grew her advantage to 30 seconds with seven kilometers to go—if she could take the win, she’d take the white young rider leader’s jersey from her teammate, Niedermaier.

Longo Borghini made a move to drop the three riders, and Kopecky was the only rider able to go with her. Rooijakkers was able to bridge across, but Niedermaier struggled with the pace and fell behind. The three continued to attack each other but couldn’t build significant gaps—they could only keep Bradbury around a minute ahead.

As they came into the finish, Bradbury had plenty of time to celebrate her win with a minute gap to the chasing trio. Behind her, the group of three tactically fought for the last two podium positions—and the overall GC.

Kopecky was the first to attack with Longo Borghini on her wheel as the two launched a long sprint to the finish. They took it to the line, with Kopecky just narrowly taking the win, leaving Longo Borghini with a single second now separating her from Kopecky in the GC heading into the final stage.

“I thought they’d catch me,” Bradbury admitted in the finish line interview.

35th giro ditalia women 2024 ndash stage 7

Luc Claessen//Getty Images

Results from Stage 7

Neve Bradbury (Canyon//SRAM)
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx Protime)
Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl Trek)
Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck)
Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM)
Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL)
Niamh Fisher Black (SD Worx-Protime)
Gaia Realini (Lidl Trek)
Mareille Meijering (Movistar)
Mavi Garcia (Liv AlUla Jayco)

General Classification Standings After Stage 7

Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime)
Neve Bradbury (Canyon//SRAM)
Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck)
Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL)
Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM)
Niamh Fisher Black (SD Worx-Protime)
Gaia Realini (Lidl Trek)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ)
Mavi Garcia (Liv AlUla Jayco)

July 12 - Stage 6 - San Benedetto del Tronto to Chieti - 159 km

Stage winner: Liane Lippert (Movistar)
Race leader: Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)

With an uphill finish after a long, nearly 100-mile day in blistering heat, Stage 6 put riders to the test as they climbed into Chieti. Movistar finally took a stage win, with Liane Lippert winning the sprint at the top of the steep climb in a three-woman breakaway.

The race stayed tight together for the first 120 kilometers, though riders dropped off the back of a high-speed peloton, moving well ahead of the projected pace. Riders were forced to stop at a train crossing due to the faster-than-predicted pace.

With 35 kilometers to go, a quartet containing Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health), Ane Santesteban (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi), Liane Lippert (Movistar), and Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ) took advantage of confusion in the peloton as a Canyon//SRAM and Lidl Trek rider had a crash. They quickly grew a gap of two minutes, creating enough separation to establish a proper breakaway.

It quickly became clear that race leader Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl Trek) had no interest in chasing down the breakaway, while her top competition—trailing her by just three seconds—Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx Protime) would have much more to gain by closing the gap.

By 10 kilometers to go, it was clear the peloton would have its work cut out to close the 2:30 gap on the final steep pitch that would bring them into Chieti. Lidl Trek's Brodie Chapman worked at the front of the peloton to narrow the gap, and it seemed as though the quartet's breakaway was losing some steam coming into the final six kilometers of racing.

With four kilometers to go, the peloton had closed on the leaders, and the gap had dropped to just over a minute as Santesteban was dropped from the lead group.

At just under three kilometers to go, Kopecky attacked out of the group with Longo Borghini hot on her wheel until Longo Borghini surged around her, and the two were off chasing down the leaders, quickly riding around Santesteban. But a group of 10 was close behind, trying to stick with the GC leaders. Kopecky and Longo-Borghini seemed to reach a stalemate.

The trio ahead managed to stay ahead, and Magnaldi led into the sprint. Lippert had the advantage and handily took the final sprint, with Edwards and Magnaldi behind her. In the chase group, Longo Borghini took fourth, protecting her GC lead.

35th giro ditalia women 2024 ndash stage 6

Luc Claessen//Getty Images

Results from Stage 6

Liane Lippert (Movistar)
Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health)
Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ)
Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl Trek)
Neve Bradbury (Canyon//SRAM)
Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL)
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx Protime)
Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ)
Mavi Garcia (Liv AlUla Jayco)

General Classification Standings After Stage 6

Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ)
Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL)
Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM)
Kimberley Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Niamh Fisher Black (SD Worx-Protime)
Mavi Garcia (Liv AlUla Jayco)
Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck)
Gaia Realini (Lidl Trek)

July 11 - Stage 5 - Frontone to Foligno - 108km

Stage winner: Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx Protime)
Race leader: Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)

A slightly shorter, flatter stage for Stage 5 meant that sprinters were preparing for the finale from early on in the race. Despite UAE Team ADQ’s best efforts, it was SD Worx Protime’s Lotte Kopecky finally took a stage win in a textbook sprint.

Small attacks and breakaway attempts flew throughout the race, but none managed to grow a gap much over 30 seconds, thanks to a surging peloton that was counting on a sprint finish. By 10 kilometers to go, the peloton remained largely together, with Marta Jaskulska (Ceratizit-WNT) only holding onto a solo attack ahead of the peloton by a few seconds.

With a technically difficult finish with plenty of twists and turns coming into the final kilometers, teams were clearly preparing for the finish much earlier than usual, and Jaskulska was caught.

EF Education-Cannondale was the first team to go to the front with just under two kilometers to go, winding through the sweeping corners that led riders to the finish line—including a slightly terrifying righthand turn 250 meters before the finish.

UAE Team ADQ and SD Worx Protime were the two teams ahead coming into the corner, and it was Kopecky who smoothly sailed to the win with a perfectly timed sprint.

“The last kilometer was very hectic, roundabouts and high speed, but I had teammates who put me in perfect position,” Kopecky said. “It was I think the best leadout I’ve ever had.”

Unfortunately for Lidl-Trek, Elisa Balsamo was forced to abandon the Giro due to illness. Two Cofidis riders, Julie Bego and Severine Eraud, also withdrew from the race.

Results from Stage 5

Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx Protime)
Chiara Consonni (UAE Team ADQ)
Arlenis Sierra (Movistar Team)
Kathrin Schweinberger (Ceratizit WNT)
Barbara Guarischi (SD Worx Protime)
Vittoria Guazinni (FDJ-SUEZ)
Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv AlUla Jayco)
Martina Alzini (Cofidis)
Laura Tomasi (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi)
Franziska Koch (dsm-firmenich)

General Classification Standings After Stage 5

Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ)
Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL)
Kimberley Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM)
Niamh Fisher Black (SD Worx-Protime)
Mavi Garcia (Liv AlUla Jayco)
Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility)
Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck)

July 10 - Stage 4 - Imole to Urbino - 134km

Stage Winner: Clara Emond (EF Education-Cannondale)
Race Leader: Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)

The longest stage of the Giro d'Italia Women kicked off today with plenty of climbing in the second half of the course to shatter the peloton—if the heat didn't get to riders first. A huge solo effort from EF Education-Cannondale’s Clara Emond surprised the peloton, and she was impressively able to hold her gap on the chasers all the way into Urbino.

Teams attempted early attacks, but Carmela Cipriani (Bepink-Bongioanni), Silvia Zanardi (Human Powered Helath) and Alice Palazzi (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) were the first riders to actually create a gap on the peloton, building a minute gap. But Stage 2's attack artist (who came so close to the stage win) Ana Vitória Magalhães (Bepink-Bongioanni) and the Canadian Clara Emond (EF Education-Cannondale) took up the chase, closing the gap to the leaders.

On the first big climb of the day in San Marino, the breakaway again split, with Emond and Magalhães going clear with a five minute gap on the peloton. The climb was too much for Magalhães, who dropped back and a large chase group absorbed her as well as the other three early attackers. The main peloton hovered around three minutes behind Emond, who seemed comfortable going solo.

Heading up the climb into Urbino with under seven kilometers to go, Emond's gap remained 1:20 to the chase group with Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ) and Elise Chabbey (Canyon//SRAM) leading, with the peloton a minute behind them. The chase group pushed the pace in the final kilometers of climbing, trying to close the gap to Emond, but the gap remained stubbornly at over a minute. It was a nail-biting last couple of kilometers as the gap dropped just below a minute and Emond hit the final descent just ahead of one last climb to the finish with the pursuit behind pulling back seconds on the young Canadian, with Cecil Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ) and Kimberley Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal).

As she hit the final climb with half a kilometer to go, Emond seemed to have done what no rider had been able to do thus far in the race: A solo win. She began to smile as it seemed clear that she had made the early break stick all the way to the finish line.

Emond comfortably took the win with just enough time to celebrate, with Canyon//SRAM’s Soraya Paladin and Uttrup Ludwig rounding out the podium.

“It’s my first win ever, so it feels super good,” Emond said. “It’s my first big win.”

From the peloton, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx Protime) and Elisa Longo-Borghini (Lidl Trek) had an incredible sprint up the final hill, sprinting each other for valuable seconds the GC standings, with Longo-Borghini just getting her at the line—and holding on to the pink leader’s jersey.

Results from Stage 4

Clara Emond (EF Education - Cannondale)
Soraya Paladin (Canyon//SRAM)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ)
Elise Chabbey (Canyon//SRAM)
Kimberley Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Giada Borhesi (Human Powered Health)
Erić Jelena (Movistar)
Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime)
Mie Bjørndal Ottestad (Uno-X Mobility)

General Classification Standings After Stage 4

Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ)
Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL)
Kimberley Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM)
Niamh Fisher Black (SD Worx-Protime)
Mavi Garcia (Liv AlUla Jayco)
Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility)
Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck)

July 9 - Stage 3 - Sabbioneta to Toano - 113 km

Stage Winner: Niamh Fisher-Black (SD Worx-Protime)
Race Leader: Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)

Stage 3 marked the first climbing stage in this year’s Giro d’Italia Women. With a 13-kilometer climb to end the race and a blisteringly hot day in Sabbioneta, the peloton made a concerted effort to stay smooth and smart for the first 100 kilometers of racing. SD Worx Protime’s Niamh Fisher-Black perfectly timed her attack on the climb to take the win, while her teammate Lotte Kopecky won the sprint in the chase group, and Lidl Trek’s Elisa Longo Borghini managed to scoop up fourth to protect her GC lead.

Early in the race, small groups tried to break away without much success. In fact, the average peloton speed was reportedly higher than even the speediest predictions. FDJ-Suez’s Jade Wiel was one of the few to make a breakaway stick momentarily—just long enough to score the intermediate sprint.

Sarah Roy (Cofidis) made a solo breakaway stick and was eventually joined by Elena Pirrone (Team Roland). The two managed to hold off the peloton until the climb began, and their 90-second advantage quickly disappeared.

But it was all about the final climb. Canyon//SRAM led at the start of the climb, setting a high pace as top GC riders like Grace Brown were left behind.

The lead group whittled to roughly 20 riders in the final five kilometers, with Canyon//SRAM’s Antonia Niedermaier, Neve Bradbury, and Mavi Garcia of Liv AlUla Jayco largely controlling the pace. However, race favorites Kopecky and Longo Borghini hung out in the group as well.

In the final two kilometers, the riders had a momentary respite before hitting the final half kilometer, one of the steepest parts of the climb, straight into the finish. García made the first attack with two kilometers to go, with SD Worx Protime’s Niamh Fisher-Black leaping onto her wheel. The two build a small advantage of 13 seconds within 500 meters, but no one in the chase group seemed willing to work to close the gap as they hit the slight descent ahead of the climb.

Fisher-Black attacked García just as the steepest part of the climb began and made a clean break, sprinting towards the finish in the final 500 meters. Garcia was reabsorbed into the chase group as Fisher-Black was able to handily take the win at the top of the mountain. Behind her, Kopecky took second place, with Juliette Labous (dsm-Firmenich) in third and race leader Elisa Longo-Borghini protecting her GC standings with a fourth-place finish.

“I had good feelings coming into today… something about this stage spoke to me,” Fisher-Black said at the finish.

Results from Stage 3

Niamh Fisher Black (SD Worx-Protime)
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime)
Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL)
Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck)
Mavi Garcia (Liv AlUla Jayco)
Neve Bradbury (Canyon//SRAM)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ)
Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM)
Kimberley Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal)

General Classification Standings After Stage 3

Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime)
Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL)
Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM)
Niamh Fisher Black (SD Worx-Protime)
Mavi Garcia (Liv AlUla Jayco)
Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility)
Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ)
Kimberley Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal)

July 8 - Stage 2 - Sirmione to Volta Mantovana - 102 km

After only five kilometers of racing, Ana Vitória Magalhães (Bepink-Bongioanni) and Alessia Missiaggia (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) attacked and grew a small gap—a gap that they would maintain for nearly the entirety of the race. The peloton kept the pace steady, allowing a gap of over six minutes to grow over the early kilometers of the race as small chase groups tried to form, but were ultimately reabsorbed into the peloton.

With 30 km to go, Missiaggia was dropped on a climb as Magalhães continued her solo mission towards the finish. The 23-year-old Brazilian maintained a strong gap of over two minutes even as the race ticked down to the final 10 kilometers. The peloton seemed to initially struggle to organize a chase, with UAE Team ADQ leading the initial chase with Canyon//SRAM, Lidl Trek, and FDJ-Suez finally coming to the front to drive the pace.

At eight kilometers to go, Magalhães was forced to up her pace as the top racers in the peloton, including Niamh Fischer-Black (Canyon//SRAM), started to bring the gap down to just over a minute with seven kilometers of racing left.

With two kilometers to go, Magalhães was caught by the peloton—holding on to the Queen of the Mountain jersey thanks to her climbing today. As the peloton absorbed her, teams began to swarm to organize their leadout trains for the final sprint. Anouska Koster (UniX-Mobility) was the first rider to launch an attack, but was unsuccessful.

But it was UAE Team ADQ’s Italian rider Chiaria Consonni who took the sprint over Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx ProTime) and Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek). Elisa Longo Borghini finished in the top 10, maintaining her GC lead in the pink jersey.

“I have no words today. I think the team was super,” said Consonni. “I was super focused on my sprint because I know there aren’t many of these opportunities.”

Results from Stage 2

Chiara Consonni (UAE Team ADQ)
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime)
Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek)
Arlenis Sierra (Movistar)
Mylene De Zoete (Ceratizit WNT Pro Cycling)
Kimberely Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Silvia Zanardi (Human Powered Health)
Letizia Borghesi (EF Education-Cannondale)
Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl Trek)
Kathrin Schweinberger (Ceratizit WNT Pro Cycling)

General Classification Standings After Stage 2

Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl Trek)
Grace Brown (FDJ Suez)
Brodie Chapman (Lidl Trek)
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime)
Juliette Labous (Team DSM Firmenich)
Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health)
Cédrine Kerbaol (Ceratizit WNT Pro Cycling)
Loes Adegeest (FDJ Suez)
Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility)
Franziska Kock (Team DSM Firmenich)

July 7 - Stage 1 (individual time trial) - Brescia to Brescia - 14.6 km

The eight-stage race kicked off this morning with a 15.7 km individual time trial in Brescia, Italy. Temperatures rose into the high 70s, but it was the inconsistent rain that made for interesting racing as riders took to the relatively flat route with a few tight turns.

Italian Carmela Cipriani (Bepink-Bongioanni) was the first rider to take the course, with riders following in 60-second increments. Many of the bigger-name riders made the last-minute decision to take to the start earlier to beat the rain, switching spots with their teammates who would have typically hit the course earlier. (The strongest riders are usually the last to hit the course.)

Lidl-Trek’s Elisa Longo Borghini rode the course in a blisteringly fast 20:37, a full 25 seconds faster than Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime), one of the other time trial top contenders.

Heavy rain started around 2:00 PM, and the riders who were hitting the course later in the day were subject to downpours as they navigated the roads.

Longo Borghini’s time was unbeatable by the time every rider made it through the time trial, but Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez) came close at only a second slower. Longo-Borghini’s teammate Brodie Chapman also had a solid time trial, only 13 seconds slower than the win time. All 153 women on the start line finished the race, but the times ranged from 20:37 to nearly five minutes slower than the winning time—a nearly insurmountable gap heading into stage 2. Some of the race favorites, like UAE’s Silvia Persico, had surprisingly slow times (Persico was 1:37 down from Longo-Borghini), which will make a strong overall performance in the Giro much more difficult in the coming days.