{"id":205418,"date":"2026-06-01T09:24:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T09:24:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=205418"},"modified":"2026-06-01T09:24:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T09:24:24","slug":"elisa-balsamo-backs-up-maglia-rosa-promotion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2026\/06\/01\/elisa-balsamo-backs-up-maglia-rosa-promotion\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cI was waiting for this win so much\u201d: Balsamo Backs up Maglia Rosa Promotion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Elisa Balsamo didn\u2019t get the opening maglia rosa in the way she would have chosen.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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After being elevated to stage winner and race leader following Lorena Wiebes\u2019s disqualification from stage 1, the Italian was careful with her reaction.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not the way I want to win,\u201d Balsamo said<\/a> before stage 2.<\/p>\n

Twenty-four hours later, she no longer needed an explanation. Elisa Balsamo won stage 2 of the Giro d’Italia Women outright in Caorle, sprinting to victory in the pink jersey and extending her overall lead.<\/p>\n

A calmer day, a cleaner finish<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Unlike the opening stage, which ended in controversy, stage 2 followed a more traditional script.<\/p>\n

An early breakaway of three riders gained a modest advantage before being steadily controlled by the peloton. The only climb of the day never seriously threatened the sprinters, and the race gradually built toward an expected bunch finish in Caorle.<\/p>\n

Lidl-Trek stayed organised throughout, protecting Balsamo and keeping the stage under control as temperatures climbed above 30 degrees.<\/p>\n

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Zobrazit p\u0159\u00edsp\u011bvek na Instagramu<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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P\u0159\u00edsp\u011bvek sd\u00edlen\u00fd Giro d\u2019Italia Women (@giroditaliawomen)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n