Rouleur predicts... Giro Rosa stage 3

Rouleur predicts... Giro Rosa stage 3

Another hilly stage offers an opportunity to ambush Van Vleuten, but will it be a day for the break instead? Here's our best guesses

2-minute read Elisa Longo Borghini Giro Rosa Kasia Niewiadoma Photos: Sean Hardy Words: Andy McGrath

Stage 3: Santa Fiora - Assisi (142km)

Giro Rosa stage 3

Ben Ward

Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo)

Our Top Banana winner from La Course, the Italian has been on super super-domestique form for Lizzie Deignan in the races so far. With a punchy finish after a long flat, I'm hoping that her team repay her sterling work so far to aid her to a well-deserved stage win.

Olivia Kaferly

Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon SRAM Racing)

The frustration of choosing the 4th place finisher two days in a row is only compounded by the fact we’re forced to live-follow the race via out-of-order tweets.

With a performance like Annemiek van Vleuten’s on day two, it’ll be hard not to choose her for everything but the sprint stages.

Nevertheless, I’ll bet on the fact she’ll want to keep some energy in reserve for the more mountainous stages to come, and instead tip Katarzyna Niewiadoma for victory on stage 3. She’s obviously feeling fit and that sharp climb at the end should suit her aggressiveness.

Andy McGrath

Lizzy Banks (Equipe Paule Ka)

Call me crazy, but the women's Giro bunch can't keep racing every day like it's a one-dayer. Order will come in now Van Vleuten is in front, and I can see a break having more of a chance. Step forward Lizzy Banks.

Hannah Walker

Marianne Vos (CCC-Liv)

Stage 3 has all the climbing in the first 80km of the race and only a few lumps and bumps to get over in the next 55km. In the finale, the steepest section in the last 800m is 13%, the peloton has to navigate a narrow road too.

Combine this with the experience Vos has, her ability to maintain a high explosive power and the strong team she has around her, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio and Soraya Paladin particularly, I think she can take a record 26 Giro Rosa stage victories.

Without live coverage, it doesn't get better than this. Sean Hardy's video from the day 1 TTT with Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling:

 

 

 

2-minute read Elisa Longo Borghini Giro Rosa Kasia Niewiadoma Photos: Sean Hardy Words: Andy McGrath

READ MORE

Writing history: Why Kim Le Court’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège win is so important

Writing history: Why Kim Le Court’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège win is so important

The Mauritian trailblazer took the biggest victory of her career on Sunday after a challenging road to the top of the sport

Leggi di più
The race for second place: It is time for a new approach to try and beat Tadej Pogačar

The race for second place: It is time for a new approach to try and beat Tadej Pogačar

Another solo win for the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider in Liège–Bastogne–Liège once again highlights that the rest of the peloton needs to anticipate rather than...

Leggi di più
From the Editor: No. 135 - Giro

From the Editor: No. 135 - Giro

Dear Reader, Johnny Green was the former road manager of the Clash, a sardonic, literate, poetic and sharply dressed chancer from Kent whose natural habitat...

Leggi di più
Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes 2025 Preview - Can Demi Vollering finally get her win?

Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes 2025 Preview - Can Demi Vollering finally get her win?

The last round of Ardennes week is the toughest challenge yet – who will come out on top?

Leggi di più
My ongoing three-year battle with cancer, by Lidl-Trek manager Luca Guercilena

My ongoing three-year battle with cancer, by Lidl-Trek manager Luca Guercilena

Lidl-Trek manager Luca Guercilena was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the autumn of 2021 aged 48, an aggressive but treatable type of chronic cancer. For...

Leggi di più

READ RIDE REPEAT

JOIN ROULEUR TODAY

Get closer to the sport than ever before.

Enjoy a digital subscription to Rouleur for just £4 per month and get access to our award-winning magazines.

SUBSCRIBE