Rouleur predicts... Giro Rosa stage 1

Rouleur predicts... Giro Rosa stage 1

The 31st edition of the biggest stage race in women’s cycling kicks off this week, the Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile 2020.

5 minute read Annemiek van Vleuten Giro Rosa Photos: Sean Hardy Words: Andy McGrath

We’ll just refer to it by its more familiar moniker, the Giro Rosa, if you don’t mind. The fact that this race always clashes with the Tour de France does it no favours whatsoever publicity-wise. The Tour got moved to September. And the Giro Rosa? Exactly the same... Don’t get us started.

No matter. We have assembled a top panel to assess all nine stages and offer their thoughts on the likely winners.

Our Andy and Ben are joined by two experts in the field: Rouleur contributor Olivia Kaferly in Switzerland, and commentator and Ceratizit-WNT press officer Hannah Walker, who has the advantage of being on the ground in Italy.

We have a juicy team time trial to kick off proceedings. Who’s got the legs for it?

Stage 1 Grosseto – Grosseto (16km TTT)

Giro Rosa stage 1 

Olivia Kaferly

Équipe Paule Ka Women’s teams unfortunately do not get that many opportunities to take part in TTTs, so the winner of this first stage seems far from guaranteed. Many teams are sprinkled with very strong time trialists, but no one seems dominant in the discipline these days. So I’m going with Équipe Paule Ka. With riders like Marlen Reusser, Leah Thomas, Emma Cecilie Norsgaard and Lizzy Banks to power them on the flat Grosseto course, I think they have at least as good a chance as any team on the startline.

 

Hannah Walker

Canyon-SRAM The team come to the Giro Rosa with a very strong line-up. Four of the six riders are former team time trial world champions from 2018; Hannah Barnes, Lisa Klein, Elena Cecchini and Alena Amialiusik. They’ve also got aero gains aficionado Dan Bigham here, which shows to me that they mean business. They’ll be aiming to repeat last year’s success, taking the maglia Rosa on day one in a TTT.

 Giro Rosa

Ben Ward

Boels-Dolmans The days of their dominance of the sport may be gone, but this line-up has some heavy TT hitters in it and they've largely ridden together for a long time, so I'm going for the soon to be renamed team to go out in a blaze of TTT glory, narrowly pipping Sunweb.

 

Andy McGrath

Boels-Dolmans With not even a bridge to climb, this is one for the powerhouses. I think Boels-Dolmans will just shade it with Van der Breggen, Van den Broek-Blaak, D'Hoore and Pieters in the engine room.

 

5 minute read Annemiek van Vleuten Giro Rosa Photos: Sean Hardy Words: Andy McGrath


READ MORE

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot only knows how to win – and the Tour de France Femmes is her latest target: ‘I want to be the best’

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot only knows how to win – and the Tour de France Femmes is her latest target: ‘I want to be the best’

The Frenchwoman returns to road racing with Visma-Lease a Bike in 2025, and her home race is at the top of her wish list

Leggi di più
‘Volunteers are the backbone of the sport’ - Carole Leigh on a lifetime of service to bike racing

‘Volunteers are the backbone of the sport’ - Carole Leigh on a lifetime of service to bike racing

The British woman has organised and officiated bike races since she was a teenager and hopes more people will follow in her footsteps

Leggi di più
Olav Kooij and the quest to be the fastest man in the world

Olav Kooij and the quest to be the fastest man in the world

The Dutchman is confident in the fact that he’s on the cusp of being the sport’s best current sprinter

Leggi di più
Josh Tarling and the pursuit of perfection: ‘I hope my peak will start next year’

Josh Tarling and the pursuit of perfection: ‘I hope my peak will start next year’

The 20-year-old Ineos Grenadiers rider on learnings from the racing season, managing adult life, and setting achievable goals

Leggi di più
Laurence Pithie: I want to challenge Van der Poel for Monument wins next year

Laurence Pithie: I want to challenge Van der Poel for Monument wins next year

The New Zealand rider talks about his journey to the top of the sport, moving to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and his ambitions to start to win...

Leggi di più

MEMBERSHIP

JOIN ROULEUR TODAY

Independent journalism, award winning content, exclusive perks.

Banner Image