Giro Donne 2023 – Opening stage cancelled midway through due to torrential rain

The opening stage of the 2023 Giro Donne was cancelled midway through due to torrential rain. A forecast of apocalyptic conditions in Siena forced organisers to bring the start time forward for Friday's 4.4km individual time trial, with defending champion Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) setting an early target of 5:42” as the rain began to hammer down. Ad Soon, seven riders were within a second at the top of the standings, with Letizia Paternoster (Trek-Segafredo) judged to have set a marginally quicker 5’42” than Van Vleuten to take the top spot.

Giro d'Italia Donne'The road is almost like a river' – Torrential rain hits opening time trialAN HOUR AGO But the weather got progressively worse and after a series of stoppages, the stage was eventually called off. When the stage was first paused due to the weather, defending champion Van Vleuten had just set the fastest time of 5’42”. Chloe Dygert (Canyon//SRAM Racing) was second with a time of 5’43” after a crash cost her some time.

Following a thunderstorm the race then re-started, and Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo-Visma) set another time of 5’42” which moved her to second place. As the rain surged, Paternoster set a new fastest time of 5’42” which gave her the slightest lead over van Vleuten and Vos who had both crossed the line within the same second as the Italian and made up the top three. The stage was then paused again due to the torrential downpour, and would not be re-started for a second time.