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Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling’s Kirsten Wild finished off a fantastic display of teamwork with a dominant sprint victory at the end of the second stage of the Giro d’Italia Femminile, the Giro Rosa, in Ovada. The Dutch super sprinter crossed the line well clear of former black and orange rider Giorgia Bronzini (Cylance Pro Cycling) and European Champion Marianne Vos (Waowdeals Pro Cycling) at the end of the 120km stage, after Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling’s riders had chased down a two-rider breakaway. 
“This was really a team win,” said Wild afterwards. “The girls chased, and the girls that didn’t chase really helped me in the final, so it was a really good one! “They really helped me into a good position, then I saw another team going and I followed the wheels. But Elisa and Emilia put me in a really good position. “I just went as possible, as I could, so yeah!” she laughed. The stage was dominated by a breakaway from Sheyla Gutierrez (Cylance Pro Cycling) and Alice Maria Arzuffi (Bizkaia Durango-Euskadi Murias). The two riders were still almost three minutes clear with just 20km to go, and seemingly heading for stage victory, when Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling’s riders decided to act. “We tried to speak to the other teams, but not a lot of teams were really interested in a sprint, so they said that they were not interested,” Wild explained. “At that point they were riding for the classement, and we were riding for the stage. Because if you want to win you win then it has to be together. “The girls started chasing, but Emilia [Fahlin] and Elisa [Longo Borghini] stayed with me, and we got them back in the last 500 metres I think!” 
Despite the uphill final kilometre, which the peloton had already passed through after 54km, Wild was determined to deliver her teammates the victory that their hard work had earned. “Before I thought it was nice, but it was a bit of an uphill finish,” she said. “It’s not really good for me, I thought it was a bit too much. But in the end it worked really well!” Having managed to close an almost three-minute gap to Gutierrez and Arzuffi in less than 20km, Wild was proud of the feat that her teammates had managed. “The girls did a really good job,” she said. “But of course they were up the road for a really long time. It’s easier to catch a group that has been up the road for a long time, of course, but the team chase was amazing. “This was another team time trial. I think it was good that we already had a team time trial, because today was another one! “But yesterday was also really good,” she added, referring to the stage one team time trial. “We had some bad luck with the puncture of Amy [Cure], because she’s one of the motors of the team. But I think we did a good team time trial, and the gap is not so big for Elisa. I think in the end we won’t be talking about seconds, we will be talking about minutes!" 
With a stage victory at the Giro Rosa being one of Wild’s big targets of the season now achieved, the triple Track World Champion can look ahead to further opportunities in the remaining eight stages of the race. The win has also earned the Dutchwoman enough points to take the lead in the Cyclamen Jersey classification, which she will wear on stage three. “It’s really nice, and I’m really happy, and I think there will be some more chances for the team to take a win,” Wild said. “A win in the Giro is a really big one, so I’m happy. “Happy for the team, happy for the girls, happy for myself.” Result Photo Credit: Vélofocus |
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