Annemiek van Vleuten survives 'stupid' late crash to extend lead with Stage 8 win at Giro Donne

Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) overcame a crash on the final descent of Lago di Cei to win Stage 8 of the Giro Donne and extend her lead in the general classification.

After cresting the Lago di Cei solo, Van Vleuten had looked to be coasting to her second stage win of the race. On the descent, however, a momentary lapse in concentration saw her lock her wheel and hit the deck. No worse for wear than a few bumps, bruises and scratches, the maglia rosa was immediately back on her bike, and would cross the line 58 seconds ahead of Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), with Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek – Segafredo) at 1’38”.

Cavalli's impressive performance on the final climb allowed her to overtake Mavi Garcia in the GC standings. Though she lost time to Van Vleuten, the Italian rider's position on the podium is more secure than it was at the start of the stage.

Unlike on Stage 7, when the breakaway was given a fighting chance of taking the stage, the bigger teams in the peloton clearly wanted this one for themselves. The third shortest stage of the race packed in 2333m of climbing, presenting plenty of opportunities for the puncheurs. Though the flatter roads out of Rovereto saw a flurry of early attacks, none was allowed license to open an advantage. Van Vleuten's Movistar team-mates controlled affairs at the front of the peloton - an early indication of her interest in the stage.

It was not until some way up the Cat 2 Passo Bordala that Kristen Faulkner (BikeExchange-Jayco), freed from team-mate responsibilities by the overnight positive Covid test of Amanda Spratt, was able to break the mighty grip of the bunch. The American made it to the summit with an advantage of 15 seconds over the chasers, led by Brodie Chapman (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine)

Back in the peloton, Chapman’s team-mate Marta Cavalli was the early animator. Her attack, a couple of kilometres from the top of the climb, broke the bunch into pieces, with only the strongest surviving. It seemed initially as if the race was going to be reduced to an early fight between the front three in the general classification, before team-mates of all three, as well as a squad from the ever-present irritators Trek-Segafredo, regained contact.

The larger group took it relatively easy on the descent, allowing Faulkner to extend her advantage from a few dozen seconds to more than a minute. That despite a major wobble on a left-hand hairpin, followed by what commentator Dani Rowe described as "the save of the century."

Brodie Chapman dropped back to the bunch to add to the firepower at the disposal of Marta Cavalli, while Trek-Segafredo rode aggressively in an effort to create splits. They were successful, first pushing third place Mavi Garci off the back of the group, then forcing a larger crack in the group. As they passed through the finish-line at Aldano for the first time, Trek had Lucinda Brand riding for Elisa Longo-Borghini, as well as QOM Elise Chabbey (Canyon Sram), the white jersey of Niamh Fisher-Black, and Stage 7 winner Juliette Labous (Team DSM) for company.

FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine could more than match that. Strong cycling from Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig and Brodie Chapman were able to bring the two groups back together.

Meanwhile, out front, Faulkner rode on, hitting the low slopes of the Lago di Cei with a two-minute advantage.

Van Vleuten telegraphed her intentions to take the climb on early, by putting Movistar team-mate Jelena Eric to work. The maglia rosa unleashed herself the moment the Serbian rider swung off.

It didn't look good for Faulkner, or for Marta Cavalli and Mavi Garcia. With the American's lead tumbling, Cavalli and Garcia struggled to stay on Van Vleuten's wheel. The Dutch rider's more physically active climbing style, though appearing less efficient than the steady, in-saddle form of the other two, was irresistible. Before too long they had to let go and ride at their own pace.

Once caught, Faulkner was able to stay with Van Vleuten for a while, but the constant accelerations were too much and soon she had to drop back herself. Cavalli kept a cool head, and Van Vleuten largely in her sights. As the superior descender on paper, there was the sense that if she could remain within twenty seconds of the maglia rosa, she could perhaps overtake her on the descent and take the stage.

She couldn't. The effort to keep up clearly cost the Italian rider, and Van Vleuten only extended her advantage as the road headed downhill. Until the crash.

Coming into a right-hand hairpin, a lapse of concentration caused Van Vleuten to lock the rear wheel, sending her wide, off the road, and over the barrier. Fortunately she was able to slow enough that she was no worse off than a few scratches and a slipped chain. The 39-year-old was able to get going again for the loss of very little time at all.

She crossed the line 59 seconds ahead of Cavalli. With Garcia falling back to third place, Van Vleuten now leads the GC by 2'13."

"I made a stupid mistake on the descent," she said in her post-stage interview, "which is the disappointment of today - sorry mum! - but I’m all good. I managed to not make it bad, but it was unnecessary, so I feel a bit stupid.”

Having "showed that the legs are fine," she added that she is looking forward to the final day in the mountains. "I have a good advantage," she said. "I’m happy. It’s a beautiful stage tomorrow.”

Despite getting overhauled by Marta Cavalli, Mavi Garcia was able to limit her losses to Longo-Borghini and retain her spot on the podium. The Spanish champion made it home in the company of Juliette Labous (Team DSM), Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine) and Niamh Fisher-Black (Team SD Worx), still with a 3'30 cushion for third.

1. Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) 21:17:18s
2. Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine) +2:13
3. Mavi Garcia (UAE Team ADQ) +3:42s
4. Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek Segafredo) +7:03s
5. Niamh Fisher-Black (Team SD Worx) +9:05s
6. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine) +9:33s
7. Silvia Persico (Valcar Travel & Service) +10:41s
8. Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ) +12:35s
9. Juliette Labous (Team DSM) +13:25s
10. Elise Chabbey (Canyon Sram) +13:29s

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