Balsamo inherited the pink jersey after Wiebes was expelled from the race late on Saturday for a non-compliant bike weight. On Sunday, Balsamo edged Wicklow sprinter Gillepsie and another Italian Chiara Consonni.
“This time I got to celebrate,” Balsamo said, explaining she had pointed to the sky in honour of a recently passed uncle. “I had been waiting for the moment.”
The 28-year-old Lidl-Trek rider believes she can fight to keep the pink jersey Monday where a short, sharp climb 21km from home represents both a challenge for Balsamo and an opportunity for the likes of Demi Vollering, Anna van der Breggen or Marlen Reusser.
Of the remaining seven stages, three are in the mountains, and one is an individual time trial.
Gillespie sits second in the general classification after back to back second-place finishes – she moved up in stage one following Wiebes’ disqualification.
The Paris 2024 Olympian is four seconds off leader Balsamo in 3:18:12.
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Ireland's Lara Gillespie second on Women's Giro d'Italia
IRELAND’S LARA GILLESPIE has finished second for the second successive day on the Women’s Giro d’Italia.
Home hope Elisa Balsamo won stage two to extend her overall lead as Lorena Wiebes was thrown out for a bike that was too light.
Balsamo inherited the pink jersey after Wiebes was expelled from the race late on Saturday for a non-compliant bike weight. On Sunday, Balsamo edged Wicklow sprinter Gillepsie and another Italian Chiara Consonni.
“This time I got to celebrate,” Balsamo said, explaining she had pointed to the sky in honour of a recently passed uncle. “I had been waiting for the moment.”
The 28-year-old Lidl-Trek rider believes she can fight to keep the pink jersey Monday where a short, sharp climb 21km from home represents both a challenge for Balsamo and an opportunity for the likes of Demi Vollering, Anna van der Breggen or Marlen Reusser.
Of the remaining seven stages, three are in the mountains, and one is an individual time trial.
Gillespie sits second in the general classification after back to back second-place finishes – she moved up in stage one following Wiebes’ disqualification.
The Paris 2024 Olympian is four seconds off leader Balsamo in 3:18:12.
- With reporting from Emma Duffy
– © AFP 2026
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