VAN DER BREGGEN OBLITERATES RIVALS IN MOUNTAIN TIME TRIAL TO MOVE INTO MAGLIA ROSA
Four-time Giro d’Italia champion Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) obliterated the field as she beat time trial world champion and fellow GC contender Marlen Reusser by 1’04” in Stage 4 of the Giro d’Italia Women 2026 to move into the maglia rosa.
On a course which was far from designed for the pure powerhouses, riders were forced to take a brutal mountain time trial, featuring a technical descent and a Cat. 1 climb finish in Nevegal, with gradients averaging over 10%.
Marlen Reusser (Movistar) entered as favourite and proved her plaudits when she took 50 seconds off the fastest time set by Urska Zigart, who had led at the intermediate time-point by two seconds.
Liv-AlUla-Jayco’s Monica Trinca Colonel, who had opted for a disk on her rear wheel, looked to have justified her decision as she kept herself in the fight for the GC race, with her intermediate pace standing the test of time and finishing just 27 seconds behind Reusser.
However, the Italian’s intermediate time was shattered just moments after crossing the finish line, with Anna van der Breggen taking 24 seconds off and appearing to be the woman to beat.
Germany’s Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) kept her GC hopes alive, finishing fourth, behind Reusser by just 22 seconds. There was equal praise for Brit Lauren Dickson, who, in her first year as a professional, finished just 34 seconds behind Reusser.
The FDJ United-Suez rider was quickly followed by her team-mate Demi Vollering, who came the closest to beating her former teammate Reusser by just six seconds.
Vollering ‘finishes strong’ in Giro d’Italia time trial to ‘keep GC hopes alive’
Video credit: TNT Sports
Reusser’s time in the hot seat would shortly come to an end when Anna van der Breggen hit the final straight, with the SD Worx-Protime rider beating the Swiss rider’s marker by over a minute – 1’04” to be exact – to move into the maglia rosa.
Defending champion Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ), lost a chunk of time on the Dutchwoman, having only been 30 seconds behind at the intermediate time-point before finishing 1’51” down.
With the maglia rosa, worn by Elisa Balsamo, finishing 123rd and over nine minutes down, Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) moved into prime position with an overall lead of over a minute on her GC rivals ahead of the first mountain test on Wednesday.
Van der Breggen ‘obliterates’ the field to take ‘astonishing’ Giro d’Italia time trial win
Video credit: TNT Sports