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We were given a little bit more info throughout the stage today, which was exciting as two-time Giro Rosa winner Mara Abbott (Wiggle-High5) showed her ambitions to get on top of the GC early in the stage, after she dropped to eighth yesterday.
Today’s queen’s stage up the Mortirolo climb was predicted to be a battle of the climbers, and Abbott once again proved that no one climbs quite like her. She attacked on the start of the infamous Mortirolo and arrived at the top with a two-minute gap over second place finisher Emma Pooley (Lotto-Soudal).
Abbott’s teammate Elisa Longo Borghini was the third to cross, 4’03” behind Abbott, in the company of Boels-Dolmans’ Megan Guarnier and Evelyn Stevens, Anna van der Breggen (Rabo-Liv), Claudia Lichtenberg (Lotto-Soudal), Tatiana Guderzo (Team Hitec) and Ksenyia Tuhai (BePink). The most important rider to have missed out in the group of favourites was Kasia Niewiadoma (Rabo-Liv).
But the stage would not be won on top of the climb. With a long plateau and a descent to the finish line, it was far from certain that Abbott would be able to retain her advantage.
Doris Schweizer (Cylance Pro Cycling) and Yevgenia Vysotska (Hagens Berman-Supermint) joined the group of favourites on the plateau and the eight riders reeled Pooley back in. Abbott’s lead also declined substantially in the final kilometers of the stage, but she was able to reach the finish line 37 seconds ahead of teammate Longo Borghini.
With this result, Abbott is the new leader in the Giro Rosa, and on her way perhaps to a third Giro Rosa victory.
2016 Giro Rosa stage 5
1. Mara Abbott (Wiggle-High5)
2. Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle-High5)
3. Tatiana Guderzo (Team Hitec)
4. Megan Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans)
5. Anna van der Breggen (Rabo-Liv)
Check out the full results on the CyclingTips results page.
The jersey wearers after stage 5
Pink jersey/GC
1. Mara Abbott (Wiggle-High5) – 13:02:52
2. Megan Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans) + 0:10
3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle-High5) + 0:15
4. Claudia Lichtenberg (Lotto-Soudal) + 0:33
5. Tatiana Guderzo (Team Hitec) + 0:36
6. Evelyn Stevens (Boels-Dolmans) + 1:22
7. Anna van der Breggen (Rabo-Liv) + 2:10
9. Kasia Niewiadoma (Rabo-Liv) + 3:49
White best young rider jersey
Kasia Niewiadoma (Rabo-Liv)
Green mountains jersey
Elisa Longo-Borghini (Wiggle-High5)
Purple sprint jersey
Megan Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans)
Blue best Italian rider jersey
Elisa Longo-Borghini (Wiggle-High5)
Video
Photos
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- Solo win for Mara Abbott (Wiggle-High5) in the Queen’s stage of the 2016 Giro Rosa.
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- Her three day stint in the pink jersey has come to a close (for now): Evelyn Stevens (Boels-Dolmans) loses the pink jersey after stage 5 in the 2016 Giro Rosa.
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- Two Italians and two teammates on the podium of stage 5 in the 2016 Giro Rosa: 1. Mara Abbott (Wiggle-High5), 2. Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle-High5), 3. Tatiana Guderzo (Team Hitec).
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- Kasia Niewiadoma (Rabo-Liv) had a bad day in the Giro Rosa, but still leads the young rider classification.
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- Can she repeat her Giro Rosa win of 2010 and 2013? With four stages to go, Mara Abbott (Wiggle-High5) leads the GC in the 2016 Giro Rosa.
What’s in store for the riders in stage 6
Today might have been considered Giro Rosa’s Queen’s stage, the peloton isn’t given any rest in stage 6, with three category-2-climbs and one in category 1. With a total of 118.6 kilometers, it isn’t one of the shorter stages in this year’s Giro Rosa either.
While there’s still the time trial in stage 7 to be awaited, much of the GC will be decided tomorrow. With Niewiadoma dropped out of the top of the GC and Van der Breggen some two minutes behind Abbott, it looks to be Wiggle-High5 versus Boels-Dolmans in the stages to come. With the top 3 of the GC only 15 seconds from each other, we will see an interesting battle for pink!
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Do you think Mara Abbott will stay in the pink jersey until Sunday?
