WICKLOW’S LARA GILLESPIE finished seventh in today’s stage at the women’s Giro d’Italia, to produce her third top-ten finish of this week.
Italian Elisa Balsamo won a bunch sprint on Thursday to rack up a fourth win in six stages, as Anna Van der Breggen maintained her overall lead.
Balsamo was led out by world cyclo-cross champion Lucinda Brand on the narrow streets into Brescello to add to her wins in the three opening stages.
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After two days of mountains, Balsamo again proved her dominance on the flat and has an iron grip on the sprint points jersey, opening up a lead of more than 100 points to Gillespie, who remains in second place.
This final flat stage over 160kim from Ala to Brescello through the Po valley and along the shores of Lake Garda was complicated by crosswinds that fractured the peloton.
Several overall contenders including race favourite Demi Vollering and Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser were caught out at one stage.
Movistar’s Reusser was forced into a frantic 15 kilometre-long chase to rejoin the lead peloton.
Van der Breggen had prudently stayed at the head of the peloton when blustery gusts hit.
She retained the pink jersey with a one minute-lead over Vollering. Antonia Niedermaier of Germany is third at 1min 24sec.
Friday’s stage seven features a sole climb before two mountain stages to conclude the 2026 edition.
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Lara Gillespie finishes seventh in third top-ten Giro finish of the week
WICKLOW’S LARA GILLESPIE finished seventh in today’s stage at the women’s Giro d’Italia, to produce her third top-ten finish of this week.
Italian Elisa Balsamo won a bunch sprint on Thursday to rack up a fourth win in six stages, as Anna Van der Breggen maintained her overall lead.
Balsamo was led out by world cyclo-cross champion Lucinda Brand on the narrow streets into Brescello to add to her wins in the three opening stages.
After two days of mountains, Balsamo again proved her dominance on the flat and has an iron grip on the sprint points jersey, opening up a lead of more than 100 points to Gillespie, who remains in second place.
This final flat stage over 160kim from Ala to Brescello through the Po valley and along the shores of Lake Garda was complicated by crosswinds that fractured the peloton.
Several overall contenders including race favourite Demi Vollering and Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser were caught out at one stage.
Movistar’s Reusser was forced into a frantic 15 kilometre-long chase to rejoin the lead peloton.
Van der Breggen had prudently stayed at the head of the peloton when blustery gusts hit.
She retained the pink jersey with a one minute-lead over Vollering. Antonia Niedermaier of Germany is third at 1min 24sec.
Friday’s stage seven features a sole climb before two mountain stages to conclude the 2026 edition.
– © AFP 2026
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Cycling Giro lara gillespie