World champion Annemiek van Vleuten takes Giro Rosa Stage 2 and overall lead

World champion Annemiek van Vleuten took Stage 2 of the Giro Rosa on Saturday and by doing so moved into the overall lead of the race.

The Dutchwoman launched a solo attack and put in such a dominant performance that she managed to put over a minute between herself and the rest of her rivals.

It was the first time the women’s premier Grand Tour took in sections of Strade Bianche and the stage seemed ripe for Van Vleuten, the two-time defending champion.

Even a mechanical could not stop her as she was caught and then rebuilt her lead all over again.

In the end, Anna van der Breggen (Boels Dolmans), Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM), and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) were all left in her wake.

"I think my face says it all," Van Vleuten said afterwards.

"I went so deep because you never know what’s coming and you have to take every second, so I went from the bottom [of the Seggiano climb] to take as much time as possible because at this Giro we don’t have an big uphill finish so it can be a game of seconds in the end. Every second can be useful," Van Vleuten said at the finish line.

"It was a time trial from the start of the gravel section. I wanted to hit it as the first rider, and I did, and then I went."

Now the challenge is on for the rest of the pack to try and catch Van Vleuten, who will join Movistar for next season.

1. Annemiek van Vleuten (NED)

2. Anna van der Breggen (NED + 1.16

3. Kasia Niewiadoma (POL) s.t.

4. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (DEN) + 1.20

5. Ashleigh Moolman (RSA) + 3.10

6. Mavi Garcia (SPA) s.t.

7. Mikayla Harvey (NZL) s.t.

8. Soraya Paladin (ITA)

9. Erica Magnaldi (ITA)

10. Amanda Spratt (AUS)