Technical descent causes havoc as Celia Gery wins Giro d’Italia Women stage 7

The seventh stage of the Giro Donne was won on Friday by Célia Gery. In a stage that did not look especially interesting on paper, the race suddenly sparked to life on a descent, where a number of strong riders jumped across to the remaining breakaway riders. From a group of six, the Frenchwoman from FDJ-SUEZ was ultimately the strongest, just ahead of Lucinda Brand. Anna van der Breggen retained her leader’s jersey.

A breakaway, or rather a reduced sprint? Those seemed to be the two possible scenarios for stage seven beforehand. The route was almost flat, but in the final part the road would rise slightly for a long time. That was on the approach to the climb to Pietragavina (9 kilometres at 3%). The summit lay 27 kilometres from the finish, and that final section would be mostly downhill.

Plenty of reason, then, for five riders to get away early. Marjolein van ’t Geloof of Laboral Kutxa - Fundación Euskadi represented the Netherlands there. Also in the move were Chantal Pegolo (Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria), Canadian champion Alison Jackson (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93), Sara Luccon (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) and Gaia Segato (Vini Fantini-BePink).

The five-rider break was given plenty of room by the peloton, with the gap growing to just under six minutes. Lidl-Trek, the team that had reason to sprint in finish town Salice Terme with stage winner Balsamo, took charge at the front of the bunch. The gap therefore came down quickly towards the only climb of the day.

Luccon and then Van ’t Geloof were the first riders in front to lose contact on the climb, while the pace in the peloton was high. Charlotte Kool (Picnic PostNL) was quickly distanced as a result, and the three remaining leaders came over the top with just 35 seconds in hand. Balsamo was still right there.

It was FDJ-SUEZ that wanted to enter the descent first and Gery did so very quickly and smoothly. Indeed, it created holes in the pack and a very interesting situation. Indeed, the Frenchwoman rode towards the three leaders and Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ), for example, took advantage of that.

The Italian had started the day 2.12 minutes behind pink jersey wearer Van der Breggen and saw her chance to suddenly gain some time. She, as well as Brand and teammate Silvia Persico, rode to the front, giving us seven riders in the lead. The difference with the peloton, in which it was questionable who would initiate the chase, was half a minute.

Vollering then removed her riders from the front of the pack, those who, after all, had Gery ahead. No fear of Longo Borghini at FDJ-SUEZ, then. That, of course, made the papers for the leaders a bit better. Still, the peloton began to turn and so the lead steadily dwindled.

Persico had to release the reel at 2.2 kilometers from the finish, so we were left with six riders at the front. It would be tight, but the group of six would be allowed to sprint for the win. Brand attacked first, but could not parry an extra acceleration by Gery. The Frenchwoman won, the Dutchwoman was second.