RochelleGilmore.com powered by HONDA

Australian Professional Cyclist

Luperini earns another Giro d’Italia podium for Team Faren Honda

Faren Honda’s Fabiana Luperini showed her vast experience and strength to sprint into 3rd position in Stage 7 of the Giro d’Italia Femminile.
A tough profile ensured that today’s 128 kilometre stage to Castagnole delle Lanze would provide riders with one of their last opportunities to challenge for the Maglia Rosa as the Giro Donne comes to a close on Saturday.
After an aggressive start, 12 riders managed to establish a break on the peloton at 42 kilometres into the race.
Faren Honda’s Nicole Cooke was active at the front of the chasing peloton as she tried to launch team Faren Honda into the break however the peloton had differentideas as they were reluctant to let the current Olympic Champion escape from the bunch so easily.
The advantage to the breakaway group slowly decreased as team Rabobank chased aggressively leading into the penultimate climb at 20 kilometres to go. It was at this point which current tour leader Marianne Vos (Rabobank) attacked over the summit of the climb with Emma Johansson (Hitec) and Emma Pooley (AA Drink) in tow.
Faren Honda’s Italian superstar Luperini remained composed, keeping her cards close to her chest as she bridged across to the 3 leaders in a small select group.
Heading into the final kilometre Luperini, whilst not being a renowned sprinter, used her years of racing experience to time her sprint to near perfection as she crossed the line in 3rd position behind hill-sprint specialists; Marianne Vos & Emma Johansson.
Tomorrow the team will face more forgiving terrain around the city of Varese where we will most likely see the pure sprinters being given their last chance to taste victory at this year’s Giro d’Italia Femminile.

Above: Fabiana Luperini holding position before the bunch split to bits.

Above: Luperini in the Blue Jersey being paced by support rider Giuseppina Grassi.

Above: The race splitting up on the climb, Fabiana Luperini looking comfortable.

Above: Luperini sprinting to 3rd place ahead of Evelyn Stevens and Emma Pooley.

Above: Today’s Stage 7 podium; 1st Vos. 2nd. Johansson. 3rd Luperini.

Stage 7 Results followed by the general classification, post stage 7.

1 Marianne Vos (Ned) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling Team 3:17:44
2 Emma Johansson (Swe) Hitec Products – Mistral Home Cycling Team
3 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Faren Honda Team
4 Evelyn Stevens (USA) Team Specialized – Lululemon
5 Judith Arndt (Ger) Orica-AIS
6 Emma Pooley (GBr) AA Drink – Leontien.nl Cycling Team
7 Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Vaiano Tepso
8 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) MCipollini Giambenini
9 Ashleigh Moolman (RSA) Lotto Belisol Ladies 0:00:06
10 Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Hitec Products – Mistral Home Cycling Team
1 Marianne Vos (Ned) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling Team 19:20:41
2 Evelyn Stevens (USA) Team Specialized – Lululemon 0:01:54
3 Emma Pooley (GBr) AA Drink – Leontien.nl Cycling Team 0:02:30
4 Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Faren Honda Team 0:03:03
5 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) MCipollini Giambenini 0:04:24

website design by essendon web