Image 1 of 16 American Kristen Faulkner of Team BikeExchange-Jayco celebrates stage 9 victory at San Lorenzo Dorsino (Image credit: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) crosses the line in third, ahead of race leader Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) (Image credit: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Kristen Faulkner (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) wins stage 9 (Image credit: Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Kristen Faulkner (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) of the United States competes in the breakaway (Image credit: Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Riding second in line is Mavi Garcia (UAE Team ADQ) followed by Annemiek Van Vleuten (Movistar) in the Pink Leader’s Jersey (Image credit: Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Gaia Realini (Team Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria) and Kristen Faulkner (BikeExchange-Jayco) ride in the breakaway (Image credit: Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo) rides in front of Anouska Helena Koster (Jumbo-Visma) in chase group (Image credit: Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Movistar) in Pink Leader’s Jersey with group passing Lake Molveno (Image credit: Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 At the start are Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) in Purple Points Jersey alongside Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) in world champion jersey (Image credit: Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Kristen Faulkner (BikeExchange-Jayco) during Stage 9 from San Michele All’Adige to San Lorenzo Dorsino (Image credit: Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team) in Pink Leader’s Jersey and Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) in Purple Points Jersey compete during 9 (Image credit: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Small selection of riders on a climb on 112. 8km queen stage (Image credit: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) in Purple Points Jersey attacks ahead of race leader Annemiek van Vleuten (Image credit: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Best young rider Niamh Fisher-Black (Team SD Worx) leads the chase group (Image credit: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Scenery on queen stage of Giro Donne of peloton passing through Cavastro (Image credit: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Stage 9 podium (LtoR): Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) on second place, stage winner Kristen Faulkner (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) with champagne and Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) on third place (Image credit: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images ) Image 1 of 16 Kristen Faulkner (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) won the final mountain stage of the Giro d’Italia Donne , 112. 8 km over three hard climbs and with an uphill finish.
The Alaskan-born 29-year-old went on the attack with Italian climber Gaia Realini (Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria) on the Fai della Paganella, the first climb of the day. Faulkner picked up mountain points throughout the day to take the lead in the mountain classification and left Realini behind 1. 5 km from the top of the steep Passo Daone, the last classified climb of the day.
In the group of favourites, Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) had attacked, and only maglia rosa Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team) could follow her. Cavalli left Van Vleuten behind on the descent but waited for her afterwards, and a group of four formed in the last 15 km as Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) had come back and the three picked up Realini. 3:21 minutes behind third-placed Mavi García (UAE Team ADQ) before the stage, Longo Borghini was driving the group to take as much time on García as possible.
Faulkner continued on her own and defended her lead, winning the stage 59 seconds ahead of Cavalli who had attacked in the downhill before the finishing climb. Longo Borghini and Van Vleuten finished 1:14 minutes behind Faulkner, with Realini at 1:44 minutes. García had pulled her group for the last 20 km to finish in ninth place, 3:42 minutes behind Faulkner, defending her third podium spot against Longo Borghini by 49 seconds.
“Last year in the Giro, I was off the back the whole time, so this year is pretty special,” said Faulkner after her second stage win, following up on the stage 1 time trial. “Two of our riders weren’t able to start yesterday because of COVID, so I just really wanted to put it all out there for them and for the team and give the best show,” the new mountain jersey leader added. More to follow .
. . .
From: cyclingnews
URL: https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/giro-d-italia-donne-2022/stage-9/results/