Kristen Faulkner doubles up at Giro Donne as Annemiek van Vleuten defends pink on queen stage

A second consecutive all-day breakaway saw Kristen Faulkner (Team BikeExchange) solo to victory on Stage 9 of the Giro Donne. As well as her second win of this year's edition, the 29-year-old American claimed maximum points on all three climbs to all but ensure she will be the Queen of the Mountains in Padua.

From a move that was more symbolic than meaningful, Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) was able to at long last distance Annemiek van Vleuten on the final - uncategorised - climb. The Italian finished 59 seconds back for second place, with Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek–Segafredo) out-sprinting Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) for third. Having distanced Mavi Garcia (UAE Team ADQ) on the descent of the Passo Daone, Longo-Borghini parked herself on the front of the favourites and buried herself on the run-in, in an effort to displace Garcia from the podium. In the end she was able to pull back an additional ninety seconds on the Spanish champion - impressive, but not quite enough. The Italian will take confidence from her performance as she looks towards the Tour de France Femmes.

As the bell for last orders began ringing at the penultimate chance saloon stage - and the final day in the Dolomites - every rider with little to show for the past week wanted to get up the road. A quartet of riders achieved a small gap before being reeled in, then a larger one clipped off the front only for the same fate to befall them.

The show that stuck turned out to be a repeat, as Faulkner demonstrated that she was feeling few after-effects from her Stage 8 exertions. The American had said that her final climb decline was down to dehydration, and was determined to feed and water well as she once again went off on the hunt.

This time she had Gaia Realini (Isolmant - Premac - Vittoria) for company, with the much smaller Italian contributing what she could to the effort.

First place over the Cat. 2, Fai della Paganella earned Faulkner eight mountains points, putting her within a single score of the jersey held by Elise Chabbey (Canyon Sram). Her chances of winning the competition improved significantly when Chabbey slipped off the back of the bunch.

With Van Vleuten the only remaining rider who could realistically get in her way, the question on everyone’s lips was whether Van Vleuten’s likely assault would come before or after Faulkner was able to claim the points she desperately wanted.

As the pair up front pressed on, an interesting situation was developing behind. A gang of four riders, Brodie Chapman (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine), Anouska Koster (Jumbo Visma), Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo) and Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ) stole a march of a minute on the peloton. With three of those team-mates of podium contenders, they were in a strong position to shape the race in its final phases.

On the long descent towards the foot of the second climb, the Duron, Faulkner and Realini were able to establish a 2’30 advantage over the bunch. That looked likely to be enough for Faulkner to take the virtual maglia verde, and so it proved, but surely not sufficient to hold off Van Vleuten et all when the big guns inevitably began firing.

Yet as they made it back down into the valley, and through the - uncontested - intermediate sprint, the bunch was making little headway. If anything the front duo were increasing the size of their advantage over the peloton, which was by then just twenty riders strong.

Towards the lower slopes of the Passo Daone, the pair were still two minutes ahead of the chasing quartet, with the bunch one more behind. Never mind mere mountains points, if they could avoid collapsing completely on the 6km climb, which averaged 10% from bottom to top, either Faulkner and Realini could have a shot at the stage.

And as the favourites climbed tentatively, avoiding increasing the temperature of their conflict beyond that of a gentle simmer, that outcome grew increasingly likely.

Only after Faulkner accelerated away from Realini and set out in search of the Cima Coppi, did anything begin to happen behind.

It was Cavalli who initiated proceedings, her determined, measured riding on the front adequate to pull herself and Van Vleuten away from Garcia and Longo-Borghini, and the pair went over the top 30 seconds to the good.

Cavalli took more risks on the descent than Van Vleuten and was able to gap the maglia rosa who, with several minutes in hand over the Italian, had no intention of repeating yesterday's pratfall. Fifteen seconds was the most Cavalli was able to take on the race leader. In the valley she thought better of attempting a long individual time trial to the line, and sat up to wait for Van Vleuten.

Behind them Longo-Borghini’s own superior descending skills enabled her to drop Garcia, as well as to catch up with Van Vleuten and Cavalli in the valley.

The Italian had a podium place in her sights, so Cavalli and Van Vleuten were content to leave the legwork to the Trek-Segafredo rider. Faulkner, riding steadily, showing no signs of collapsing, was all but assured of the stage victory.

After allowing herself to be towed to the finale, Cavalli clipped off the front and made a march for the line. Even if she could not overhaul Van Vleuten, she wanted to at least get one over on the champion.

Faulkner completed the final turn a minute ahead of Cavalli, crossing the line with barely enough energy to lift an arm in celebration. Two stage wins from this edition, as well as a day in the pink jersey, represents an impressive return for her and her team, as well as marking her out as a big name on the world stage.

“Last year at the Giro I was off the back the whole time, so this year is pretty special," she said afterwards. "Two of our riders weren’t able to start yesterday because of Covid, so I wanted to put it all out there for them and the team.”

Van Vleuten, the maglia rosa, goes into Stage 10, a 90.5km ride from Abano Terme to Padova, with a healthy lead of just under two minutes - 1'52".

1. Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) 24:55:08s
2. Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine) +1:52
3. Mavi Garcia (UAE Team ADQ) +6:10s
4. Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek Segafredo) +6:59s
5. Niamh Fisher-Black (Team SD Worx) +11:26s
6. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine) +12:28s
7. Silvia Persico (Valcar Travel & Service) +13:22s
8. Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ) +15:27s
9. Juliette Labous (Team DSM) +15:49s
10. Neve Bradbury (Cayon Sram) +17:43s

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