{"id":612235,"date":"2026-05-30T15:26:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-30T15:26:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/612235\/"},"modified":"2026-05-30T15:26:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-30T15:26:18","slug":"giro-ditalia-women-stage-1-live-a-breakaway-of-three-have-built-a-lead-but-the-sprinters-teams-remain-in-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/612235\/","title":{"rendered":"Giro d’Italia Women stage 1 LIVE: A breakaway of three have built a lead, but the sprinter’s teams remain in control"},"content":{"rendered":"

Refresh <\/p>\n

2026-05-30T15:24:18.570Z<\/p>\n

The final circuit is quite technical, with 11 bends, including one dead turn, seven roundabouts and some narrow sections. The finish line is just by a small harbour, across the road from the railway line.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T15:23:25.649Z<\/p>\n

It seems there was some indecision in the peloton as to whether to contest the intermediate sprint, as they’re letting the gap go out again now.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T15:18:33.176Z<\/p>\n

The race finishes with three full laps of a circuit around Ravenna. They race enter that circuit with 49.6km to go, and see the line three times before the finish.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T15:14:04.389Z<\/p>\n

The race has settled once more after the sprint, Curnis, Spimi and Arici ar back together with the bunch some 1.20 behind them.<\/p>\n

70km to go<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T15:10:03.127Z<\/p>\n

And with the bunch still 1.30 behind the breakaway do take the sprint, Arici was first across the line.
just as well it wasn’t a full bunch as the sprint line was on a bend after a roundabout.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T15:06:34.076Z<\/p>\n

Maybe the break will take the sprint after all. The lead for Curnis, Spimi and Arici remains over a minute as they approach Alfonsini.<\/p>\n

80km to go <\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:53:57.462Z<\/p>\n

The gap is now down to one minute and, with 10km to the sprint it seems Curnis, Spimi and Arici will be caught before they reach it.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:49:02.711Z<\/p>\n

Maybe the peloton are hungry for those bonus seconds, they have lopped almost 90 seconds off the breakaway’s advantage.
Curnis, Spimi and Arici only have 2.37.<\/p>\n

90km to go <\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:38:25.940Z<\/p>\n

The next obstacle for the leaders is the intermediate sprint. That comes with 74.4km to go in Alfonsine.
With the gap out to four minnutes, it seems the breakway will take the honours there, there are 6, 4 and 2 bonus seconds available too.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:36:25.536Z<\/p>\n

Today’s stage passed close to Cesena, where stage 4 of the 2022 Giro started and finished. It was a boiling day which was won by Annemiek van Vleuten.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:33:05.187Z<\/p>\n

No change at the front. Valeria Curnis (Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria), Sharon Spimi (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) and Sofia Arici (Vini Fantini-BePink) lead the peloton by four minutes.<\/p>\n

100km to go<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:28:00.268Z<\/p>\n

And Marinetto is now caught by the peloton who trail the three leaders by four minutes.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:26:05.416Z<\/p>\n

With the high temperatures it’s important for riders to keep drinking and eating. Here Laboral Kutxa-Fundaci\u00f3n are feeding their riders from the car.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:23:04.101Z<\/p>\n

The gaps are increasing even more now. Curnis, Spimi and Arici lead Marinetto by 3.08 with the peloton a further a further 40 seconds down.
Surely Marinetto would like to stay away, but she’s burning a lot of energy out there alone in no-woman’s land.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:19:10.311Z<\/p>\n

Though today is likely to conclude with a bunch sprint and the winner will have the maglia rosa, it’s not likely to affect the final overall standings.
So which stages will define the the general classification?<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\"IMOLA,\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:17:00.295Z<\/p>\n

There’s no change at the front of the stage, with Curnis, Spimi and Arici leading Marinetti by 2.10 and the peloton by 2.32.<\/p>\n

110km to go<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:12:58.840Z<\/p>\n

It looks like Marineto will need to wait for another day, sadly. She’s now 2.10 behind Curnis, Spimi and Arici, with the peloton not far behind her.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:11:13.766Z<\/p>\n

All of the breakaway riders are Italian too, so this is a huge day in their racing careers.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:08:49.797Z<\/p>\n

There are five third division, Continental teams in this year’s Giro, and our four breakaway riders represent four of them.
Only Aromitalia Vaiano have missed out.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:05:24.094Z<\/p>\n

Curnis, Spimi and Arici now lead Marinetto by 1.01 with the peloton 2.32 behind.<\/p>\n

120km to go<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T14:01:36.275Z<\/p>\n

And as quick as that the peloton are happy, allowing Curnis, Spimi and Arici a lead of two minutes.
Marinetto is not so happy as she’s stuck in the gap for now.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:57:48.055Z<\/p>\n

We have three riders at the front, Valeria Curnis (Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria), Sharon Spimi (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) and Sofia Arici (Vini Fantini-BePink) lead the peloton by one minute, with Ilaria Marinetto (Mendelspeck-E Work) in the gap.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:52:46.140Z<\/p>\n

The peloton will only climb 250m all day and there are no classified climbs, so no blue jersey, maglia Azzura will be awarded today.<\/p>\n

Last year’s queen of the mountains was Sarah Gigante, the AG Insurance-Soudal rider won two mountain stages, but won’t be riding this year.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\"MONTE\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Getty Images)
\n<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:49:44.344Z<\/p>\n

The leading rider has a gap of 13 seconds.<\/p>\n

130km to go<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:47:54.956Z<\/p>\n

We have attacks at the front of the race.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:45:34.358Z<\/p>\n

They’re riding through a flat area, but there’s little in the way of wind blowing to affect the race.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:43:08.350Z<\/p>\n

It’s a pretty calm start in Cesenatico, with no successful attacks just yet.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:39:19.509Z<\/p>\n

The start town of Cesenatico is on the Adriatic coast in the region of Emilia-Romagna and only around 20km south of the finish in Ravenna. It is also the birth place of one of Italy’s most fabled cycling sons, Marco Pantani.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:35:32.692Z<\/p>\n

Let’s go then, the 2026 Giro d’Italia Women is underway!<\/p>\n

The official start <\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:26:18.920Z<\/p>\n

The course takes the riders inland and northwest, they turn right for an intermediate sprint at Alfonosine before heading south to Ravenna for three laps of a tight, technical city circuit of 13.2km.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:23:48.618Z<\/p>\n

We’re rolling for 3.8km of neutral before the racing starts. It’s a warm one in Cesenatico, around 28\u00ba but with the chance of thunder storms later. Let’s hope not!<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:19:23.428Z<\/p>\n

Lorena Wiebes starts the day as the outstanding favourite to win the stage and take the first maglia rosa. She’s on top form, winning stages at the recent Vuelta Burgos where she honed her form ahead of today’s race.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Lorena\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:15:15.763Z<\/p>\n

Just five minutes until we roll out for the start of the Giro.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:14:04.151Z<\/p>\n

Demi Vollering starts the race as the out and out favourite to win the general classification.
But Grand Tour domination has rarely come naturally to her.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\"Demi\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:09:01.937Z<\/p>\n

Should today’s stage come down to a sprint finish, Lidl-Trek have one of the favourites in Elisa Balsamo. The former World Champion will be keen to take the victory and pink jersey on home roads.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Lidl-Trek\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T13:04:53.242Z<\/p>\n

Another rider whose season has been badly disrupted is Marlen Reusser, the Movistar rider was second last year.
She’s making her comeback from a spinal fracture.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\"Marlen\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T12:56:39.723Z<\/p>\n

Elisa Longo Borghini might be the defending champion and the home town hero, but she’s had a badly disrupted season.
“A really uncertain moment for me,” she says.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\"MONTE\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Luc Claessen \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T12:50:08.473Z<\/p>\n

This is the 37th edition of the race and the first time for many years it’s not clashed with the men’s Tour de France. It’s also the third edition organised by RCS, the same company responsible for the men’s race.
They say they’re investing heavily in the event.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\"PIANEZZE,\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T12:43:03.539Z<\/p>\n

The maglia rosa will be awarded to the stage winner at the end of today’s opening stage between Cesenatico, on the Adriatic coast, and Ravenna. That’s likely to be a sprinter as the 139km stage is pan flat. But you never know.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T12:38:20.943Z<\/p>\n

Sign on has already begun in Cesenatico, with Spanish ProTeam, Laboral Kutxa-Fundaci\u00f3n Euskadi on the podium.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Laboral\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T12:35:05.566Z<\/p>\n

For many years the Giro was the most important stage race on the women’s calendar and some of the biggest names have taken the title.<\/p>\n

Demi Vollering (FDJ United-SUEZ) is the favourite, and Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) the defending champion, but who else is likely to win?<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\"Collage\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Getty Images)
\n<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T12:28:21.952Z<\/p>\n

We’ll be here bringing you live coverage of all nine stages of the 37th women’s Giro, with today’s opening stage kicking off at 15:20CET.<\/p>\n

2026-05-30T12:26:12.927Z<\/p>\n

Good afternoon and welcome to the opening day of the 2026 Giro d’Italia Women.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Refresh 2026-05-30T15:24:18.570Z The final circuit is quite technical, with 11 bends, including one dead turn, seven roundabouts and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":612236,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[4985,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-612235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-cycling","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/612235","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=612235"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/612235\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/612236"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=612235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=612235"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=612235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}