Lorena Wiebes stormed to her second victory in this year’s Women’s Giro d’Italia, winning stage five in a thrilling sprint finish. The Dutch rider once again showcased her sprinting prowess in the flat 108km route from Mirano to Monselice, marking her fifth career stage win at the Giro.
The stage saw a breakaway group of 15 riders pull clear of the peloton with around 53 kilometers to go. Despite the relatively flat terrain, the pace was fierce and unrelenting as the front group worked together to maintain their lead to the finish. In the final moments, Wiebes surged ahead, narrowly edging out fellow Dutch rider Marianne Vos in a high-speed dash to the line.
Germany’s Liane Lippert took third place, while Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser came home fifth, successfully defending her position as the overall leader of the race. Reusser continues to wear the pink jersey, holding a 16-second advantage over Italy’s Elisa Longo Borghini, the defending champion, who placed sixth in the stage.
Britain’s Anna Henderson, who experienced a tough outing on stage four, remains in 13th place overall, trailing by over 11 minutes. The general classification is shaping up with several contenders tightly packed behind Reusser, making the coming mountain stages critical for the title chase.
Speaking after the race, Wiebes praised her team’s efforts, highlighting the role of teammates who helped control the breakaway and set her up perfectly for the sprint. The SD Worx-Protime squad executed their tactics flawlessly, with Barbara Guarischi and Lotte Kopecky instrumental in the final lead-out.
Wiebes’ victory on stage five comes just two days after she claimed the win on stage three, reaffirming her form and consistency in the sprints. Her powerful finish continues to underline her status as one of the peloton’s most formidable sprinters.
Stage six promises a shift in dynamics, featuring a challenging hilly profile across 145 kilometers from Bellaria-Igea Marina to Terre Roveresche. With more climbs on the horizon, the race is expected to shake up the general classification further as climbers look to gain time on the flat-terrain specialists.
Stage Five Top 10 Finishers:
- Lorena Wiebes (Netherlands) – 2h 39m 08s
- Marianne Vos (Netherlands) – same time
- Liane Lippert (Germany)
- Lotte Kopecky (Belgium)
- Marlen Reusser (Switzerland)
- Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy)
- Anna van der Breggen (Netherlands)
- Franziska Brausse (Germany)
- Katia Ragusa (Italy)
- Silvia Persico (Italy)
General Classification After Stage Five:
- Marlen Reusser (Switzerland) – 12h 17m 14s
- Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) – +16s
- Anna van der Breggen (Netherlands) – +1m 53s
- Katrine Aalerud (Norway) – +2m 07s
- Sarah Gigante (Australia) – +2m 16s
- Antonia Niedermaier (Germany) – +2m 45s
- Silvia Persico (Italy) – +3m 21s
- Pauliena Rooijakkers (Netherlands) – +3m 30s
- Yara Kastelijn (Netherlands) – +3m 36s
- Isabella Holmgren (Canada) – +3m 39s
As the Women’s Giro d’Italia approaches its mid-point, the competition is heating up, with climbers, sprinters, and all-rounders jostling for position in what promises to be an exciting second half of the race.