Only time trial left before dominating Vos can celebrate final general classification victory
Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) continued her Merckx-like domination of the Giro d’Italia Femminile with her fifth stage victory on the steep climb to Ceresole Reale. The Dutch champion, wearing the pink jersey of race leader that she has worn for all but one day of the race, escaped breakaway companion Emma Pooley (Garmin-Cervélo) – who has been the only rider to come close to matching Vos in the mountains – in the final kilometre to finish twelve seconds clear.
Ten seconds behind Pooley, Judith Arndt (HTC-Highroad) escaped Tatiana Guderzo (MCipollini-Giambenini), wearing the blue jersey for best Italian in the race, at the finish to take third place.
“Today was another amazing day,” said Vos at the finish. “The finish was challenging, but not like yesterday. In the company of Emma Pooley, who repeatedly tried to get away, we reached all those who were in the attack.
“With at least 10 km to go, I had a mechanical failure,” she explained. “I had to change the bike, and Emma Pooley waited for me, a really nice gesture; I thought they could have attacked, but no.”
Nederland Bloeit director Jeroen Blijlevens put it simply: “Today, Marianne was better on the climb than Pooley.”
Despite several attempts, it was not until the 34th kilometre, as the race was passing through the start town of Agliè after the opening circuit, that a breakaway managed to get away. The group was made up of two-time Italian champion Monia Baccaille (MCipollini-Giambenini), 2009 Giro Donne winner Claudia Häusler (Diadora-Pasta Zara), Swedish champion Emma Johansson (Hitec Products-UCK), Irene Van Den Broek (AA Drink-Leontien.nl), Polona Batagelj (Bizkaia-Durango), Ashleigh Moolman (Lotto Honda), Sharon Laws (Garmin-Cervélo), Andrea Dvorak (Colavita-Forno d’Asolo) and Amanda Miller (HTC-Highroad).
By the town of Cuorgnè after 80km, the nine riders had managed to open up a lead of 2’20”, and, as the climb to the finish at Ceresole Reale began, Häusler and Johansson attacked and rode away from the other seven.
As her Nederland Bloeit led the pursuit of the breakaway Vos suffered a puncture. The pink jersey’s teammate dropped back to pace her back up, but the peloton had sportingly sat up to wait for her.
Häusler managed to drop Johansson on the steepest part of the climb, but the peloton was steadily gaining on both of the leading riders. Having simply followed the move of Pooley the day before, it was Vos that put in the big attack this time. Just as before though, it was only Pooley that could go with her.
The race was, once again, becoming a head to head battle between Vos and Pooley, as the two of them distanced the other race contenders on their way up the climb. The two strongest riders in the race soon caught up and passed Johansson and Häusler, who stayed with them for a while, before being dropped as the pink and green jerseys battled their way up to the finish.
Behind the two leaders were Judith Arndt (HTC-Highroad) and blue jersey Tatiana Guderzo (MCipollini-Giambeinini), who were fighting their own battle for the third step on the podium.
Next was a group containing 2010 winner Mara Abbott (Diadora-Pasta Zara), who was now joined by teammate Häusler, Tatiana Antoshina (Gauss-RDZ-Ormu), Moolman and Johansson.
Vos attacked Pooley once more as they approached the finish, and the British rider had no answer to the acceleration and the Dutch champion went on to win her fourth stage of the race, 12 seconds clear. Arndt managed to escape Guderzo in the final metres to finish three seconds ahead of the leading Italian.
Marianne Vos now leads Emma Pooley by 2’48” with only the final 16km time trial in San Francesco al Campo to come. While Pooley is the time trial World champion, it would take an absolute disaster to prevent Vos from becoming the first Dutchwoman to win the Giro Donne.
“The Giro is not finished yet,” said Vos. “I don’t want to celebrate in advance, because tomorrow I expect another far from easy stage. It will be technical and difficult to interpret. Then I can claim to have won a really challenging but beautiful Giro. The stage where I realized that I could take the final victory was that of the Mortirolo [stage seven – ed].”
Result stage 9
1. Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit, 1075km in 3h12’03”
2. Emma Pooley (GBr) Garmin-Cervélo @ 12s
3. Judith Arndt (Ger) HTC-Highroad @ 22s
4. Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) MCipollini-Giambenini @ 25s
5. Mara Abbott (USA) Diadora-Pasta Zara @ 33s
6. Tatiana Antoshina (Rus) Gauss-Rdz-Ormu @ 50s
7. Ruth Corset (Aus) Bizkaia-Durango @ 57s
8. Claudia Häusler (Ger) Diadora-Pasta Zara @ 1’03”
9. Emma Johansson (Swe) Hitec Products-UCK @ 1’33”
10. Elena Berlato (Ita) Top Girls-Fassa Bortolo @ 1’55”
Standings after stage 9
1. Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit
2. Emma Pooley (GBr) Garmin-Cervélo @ 2’48”
3. Judith Arndt (Ger) HTC-Highroad @ 8’07”
4. Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) MCipollini-Giambenini @ 8’21”
5. Ruth Corset (Aus) Bizkaia-Durango @ 11’48”