Balsamo leads a tightened Giro sprint hierarchy, but Gillespie, Consonni and Kool are close enough to keep it live

Balsamo leads a tightened Giro sprint hierarchy, but Gillespie, Consonni and Kool are close enough to keep it live

Lorena Wiebes' disqualification removed the dominant sprinter from the Giro d'Italia Women. Two stages in, Elisa Balsamo has capitalised, but the margins behind her suggest the remaining bunch finishes are far from settled.

By Tim Bonville-Ginn · · 3 min read

Lorena Wiebes' (SD Worx-Protime) disqualification after stage 1 of the Giro d'Italia Women removed the race's clear sprint benchmark, and stage 2 offered the first clear look at the remaining sprint field. Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) won on the road in Caorle, confirming that her inherited stage 1 victory was backed by genuine speed. The finishing order behind her, though, was compact enough to keep the remaining flat stages open.

Balsamo now tops the list of the reshaped hierarchy of sprinters in the race with her, technically, two wins after she was promoted to the stage 1 win and maglia rosa after Wiebes was disqualified for a bike-weight infringement following the 139km stage from Cesenatico to Ravenna. On stage 2 from Roncade to Caorle, 156km, she launched off Lara Gillespie's (UAE Team ADQ) wheel to take the sprint outright, ahead of Gillespie, Chiara Consonni (Canyon-SRAM) and Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech).

Results

Roncade - Caorle • May 31 • 156km

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Elisa Balsamo
LIDL - TREK3:57:49
🥈
Lara Gillespie
UAE TEAM ADQ+0:00
🥉
Chiara Consonni
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+0:00
4
Charlotte Kool
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:00
5
Barbara Guarischi
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+0:00
6
Arlenis Sierra Canadilla
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
7
Maggie Coles-Lyster
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+0:00
8
Alessia Zambelli
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+0:00
9
Nienke Veenhoven
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:00
10
Linda Zanetti
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:00
11
Anita Baima
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+0:00
12
Georgia Baker
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:00
13
Cristina Tonetti
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:00
14
Alexandra Volstad
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:00
15
Gladys Verhulst Wild
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:00
16
Marina Garau Roca
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+0:00
17
Margaux Vigie
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:00
18
Andrea Casagranda
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+0:00
19
Maria Apolonia van 't Geloof
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:00
20
Ally Marée Wollaston
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:00
21
Niamh Mary Fisher-Black
LIDL - TREK+0:00
22
Alicia Gonzalez Blanco
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+0:00
23
Lily Williams
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+0:00
24
Amber Kraak
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:00
25
Elisa Longo Borghini
UAE TEAM ADQ+0:00
26
Anna van der Breggen
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+0:00
27
Vittoria Guazzini
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:00
28
Célia Gery
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:00
29
Lauren Dickson
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:00
30
Silvia Persico
UAE TEAM ADQ+0:00
31
Antonia Niedermaier
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+0:00
32
Alison Jackson
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+0:00
33
Barbara Malcotti
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+0:00
34
Argyro Milaki
AROMITALIA VAIANO+0:00
35
Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini
UAE TEAM ADQ+0:00
36
Thalita de Jong
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+0:00
37
Margarita Victoria Garcia Cañellas
UAE TEAM ADQ+0:00
38
Giulia Giuliani
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+0:00
39
Marta Pavesi
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+0:00
40
Lara Crestanello
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+0:00
41
Demi Vollering
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:00
42
Irma Siri
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+0:00
43
Monica Trinca Colonel
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:00
44
Femke de Vries
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:00
45
Ilse Pluimers
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:00
46
Tiril Jørgensen
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:00
47
Quinty Ton
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:00
48
Caroline Andersson
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:00
49
Justyna Czapla
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+0:00
50
Mie Bjørndal Ottestad
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:00
51
Giulia Bisso
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+0:00
52
Daniek Hengeveld
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:00
53
Carlotta Cipressi
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+0:00
54
Isabella Holmgren
LIDL - TREK+0:00
55
Debora Silvestri
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:00
56
Viktória Chladoňová
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:00
57
Mireia Benito Pellicer
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:00
58
Magdeleine Vallieres Mill
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:00
59
Alessia Vigilia
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:00
60
Chiara Reghini
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+0:00
61
Rosita Reijnhout
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:00
62
Gaia Segato
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+0:00
63
Pfeiffer Zara Georgi
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+0:00
64
Irene Cagnazzo
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+0:00
65
Sara Fiorin
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:00
66
Yuliia Biriukova
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:00
67
Fleur Moors
LIDL - TREK+0:00
68
Sofia Arici
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+0:00
69
Valentina Cavallar
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+0:00
70
Femke Gerritse
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+0:00
71
Lore de Schepper
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:00
72
Clara Emond
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+0:00
73
Mikayla Harvey
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+0:00
74
Cecilie Ludwig
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+0:00
75
Nora Jenčušová
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+0:00
76
Erica Magnaldi
UAE TEAM ADQ+0:00
77
Caroline Wreszin
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+0:00
78
Matilde Vitillo
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:00
79
Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:00
80
Rachele Barbieri
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+0:00
81
Fariba Hashimi
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+0:00
82
Nina Buijsman
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+0:00
83
Camilla Bezzone
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+0:00
84
Silke Smulders
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:00
85
Mirre Knaven
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:00
86
Petra Zsankó
AROMITALIA VAIANO+0:00
87
Eva van Agt
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+0:00
88
Francesca Barale
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
89
Irene Affolati
AROMITALIA VAIANO+0:00
90
Marte Berg Edseth
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:00
91
Nadia Gontova
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:00
92
Marion Bunel
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:00
93
Julie van de Velde
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:00
94
Maya Kingma
AROMITALIA VAIANO+0:00
95
Urška Žigart
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:00
96
Justine Ghekiere
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:00
97
Solène Muller
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+0:00
98
Marlen Reusser
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
99
Giorgia Serena
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+0:00
100
Sharon Spimi
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+0:00
101
Ana Vitoria Gouvea Vieira Almeida Magalhaes
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
102
Anastasiya Kolesava
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+0:00
103
Valentina Zanzi
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+0:00
104
Elena Cecchini
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+0:00
105
Alena Amialiusik
UAE TEAM ADQ+0:00
106
Mareille Meijer
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
107
Emilie Morier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+0:00
108
Kristen Faulkner
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:00
109
Soraya Paladin
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+0:00
110
Lucinda Brand
LIDL - TREK+0:00
111
Maike van der Duin
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+0:00
112
Chantal Pegolo
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+0:00
113
Aude Biannic
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
114
Elisa de Vallier
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+0:27
115
Gaia Masetti
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+0:27
116
Susanne Andersen
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:34
117
Nina Berton
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:34
118
Alexis Magner
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:34
119
Stina Kagevi
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+0:34
120
Marthe Truyen
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:34
121
Flora Perkins
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:34
122
Evy Kuijpers
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:34
123
Naia Amondarain Gaztañaga
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+0:34
124
Fanny Bonini
AROMITALIA VAIANO+0:34
125
Millie Couzens
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:34
126
Mylene de Zoete
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:45
127
Teuntje Beekhuis
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:49
128
Shirin van Anrooij
LIDL - TREK+0:49
129
Martina Silvestri
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+0:49
130
Eleonora Deotto
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+0:49
131
Sara Luccon
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+0:49
132
Valeria Curnis
ISOLMANT - PREMAC - VITTORIA+0:49
133
Christina Schweinberger
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+0:49
134
Valentina Venerucci
AROMITALIA VAIANO+1:06
135
Katelyn Nicholson
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+1:29
136
Marit Raaijmakers
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+1:34
137
Eleonora la Bella
AROMITALIA VAIANO+1:38
138
Amanda Spratt
LIDL - TREK+2:39
139
Robyn Clay
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+3:07
140
Josie Nelson
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+3:26
141
Mara Roldan
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+3:26
142
Becky Storrie
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+3:26
143
Sara Segala
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+7:18
144
Ilaria Marinetto
TEAM MENDELSPECK E-WORK+7:18

Compressed field

The new hierarchy makes the sprint stages so much more exciting. We are no longer looking at stages where you know who's won before it has even started, which is what we have when Wiebes is on the startlist. Now, Balsamo is the fastest so far but Consonni, Kool, Gillespie and others are all definitely in the mix for the wins.

Gillespie has finished second on both sprint stages and looks like the nearest challenger on current form. Consonni has been consistently in involved near the front with a rapid late surge on stage 2. Kool was fifth on stage 1 after missing her teammate's wheel and again close behind Balsamo on stage 2, near enough to suggest she can factor in the next bunch finish.

Before the race, Wiebes was expected to dominate the flat stages. The original stage 1 result, with Wiebes first and Balsamo second, supported that expectation. With the Dutch champion removed, the peloton changes. Leadouts are spread across the front of the peloton as teams like Lidl-Trek, UAE Team ADQ, Canyon-SRAM, Fenix-Premier Tech and others are all battling for control and best positioning.

It isn't done in the sprints for SD Worx-Protime, however. They have the extremely fast Barbara Guarischi and Femke Gerritse as possible sprinters with the former sprinting to fifth after freelancing the finale and surfing the wheels. Any issues for Guarischi and Gerritse will definitely be involved after taking big sprint wins in the past.

With at least one, possibly two sprint stages remaining, Balsamo is the rider to beat. The margins from the first two finishes show how close the contest remains. Gillespie, Consonni and Kool have all shown they can finish within striking distance, and SD Worx retain enough sprint depth to disrupt the pattern. The next bunch finish will test whether Balsamo can extend her run or whether the pack behind her is closing in.

Cover image credit: Davide Spada/LaPresse

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Tim Bonville-Ginn

Pro cycling contributor

Tim Bonville-Ginn is a freelance writer who has worked in cycling for well over a decade with his articles being featured across publications such as Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Cyclist, Rouleur, Eurosport, Road cc, Domestique, and more.

As well as writing, Tim has worked as a social media and press manager for professional teams Human Powered Health, Global 6, and Saint Piran across Europe as well as commentating on races such as the African Continental Championships, Tour de Feminin and multiple rounds of the British road and circuit series for Golazo and Monument Cycling.

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