Giro d'Italia Donne 2023: Annemiek Van Vleuten wins Stage 7 with classy attack to extend lead in pink

Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) timed her late attack to perfection to take Stage 7 of the 2023 Giro d'Italia Donne. Juliette Labous (dsm–firmenich) and Gaia Realini (Lidl-Trek) joined the Dutchwoman in the lead group but were only able to stay with her for so long. Van Vleuten, knowing both had the podium to ride for, forced the pair to ride for her before they succumbed to the inevitable.

The Frenchwoman and the Italian had to settle for the consolation prizes of second and third on the stage respectively. Ad The final stage on mainland Italy took place entirely in Milan-Sanremo country, though in rather less spring-like conditions than la Classicissima. Starting in Albenga the course travelled in a snail shell-shaped loop across three categorised climbs before finishing overlooking the Mediterranean in neighbouring Alassio.

Giro d'Italia Donne'What a champion she is!' — Watch the finish to Stage 6 as Van Vleuten takes victoryYESTERDAY AT 13:07 It was another cautious affair, with Movistar unwilling to let anyone escape their clutches. The first 50 or so kilometres of the 109 saw only one move of note, that of Elena Pirrone (Israel Premier Tech Roland), who spent some solo time out front but was never more than a few hundred metres from the front of the bunch. The race was all together, and completely under the Spanish squad's spell, as it passed the halfway mark.

Fem Van Empel (Jumbo Visma) reached out towards the top of the category 2, Il Vigneto to take a maximum eight points. 43km out Anouska Koster (Uno-X) made a bid for freedom in what would prove to be the most sustained move of the day. No threat to anyone on the top ten or even further down, but she built her lead up to a minute, rather than being gifted it.