Vos secures Giro Rosa title

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Emma Pooley won the ninth and last stage in the Giro Rosa, taking her third stage victory of this year's event. Pooley beat the Rabo-Liv duo Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and Marianne Vos to arrive solo. Vos won the overall classification.

"I wasn't confident before the Giro started," Pooley told Cyclingnews. "I wasn't confident I could win anything but the team really believed in me. And then it gets easier."

The last stage of the 25th Giro Rosa took the 134-rider strong peloton from Trezzo sull'Adda to the iconic Madonna del Ghisallo climb. The short, final stage of 90.3km made for several attacks in the first kilometres but nobody got any room

In the overall classification, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot was only 16 seconds behind her teammate Vos so the intermediate sprint after 40 kilometres into the race offered valuable seconds. Vos beat Ferrand Prevot taking three seconds, while the French rider took two seconds.

After a fast opening hour where many attacks happened and were chased down again, the peloton prepared for the final climb to Madonna del Ghisallo. Rabo-Liv worked hard to isolate Unitedhealthcare's Mara Abbott.

"There was a split in the peloton," Pooley said on the race situation before the climb. "After some tunnels I was caught behind. Near Lake Como the roads were getting narrow and the peloton strung out. Anisha Vekemans did a huge job in bringing me all the way back. Then I jumped to the group with the GC contenders. But I was tired from the chase at the foot of the climb."

For Rabo-Liv, Pooley was not a rival in the overall classification. She suffered from nosebleeds in the first stage and fell out of contention for the overall. "I prefer not to speculate about the first stage but of course it was a shame. But when you decide the GC is gone, it changes things. You can target your days and relax a bit more during the sprinter's stages."

When Pooley attacked the first group with Vos, Van der Breggen and Ferrand-Prevot for Rabo-Liv and Abbott for Unitedhealthcare about three kilometres into the climb, Rabo-Liv looked at Abbott. "I didn't really attack, I just rode a bit faster but the Rabo girls checked Abbott and that was beneficial to me," Pooley said.

"Mara is a really strong rider and the biggest threat to our classification," Vos told Cyclingnews. Last year Vos lost the Giro to the American rider in two consecutive mountain stages. "I knew that I was stronger than last year and I had such a great team around me that I didn't need to worry."

Pooley won her third stage in the Giro solo, with Vos and Ferrand Prevot in second and third position. She also secured the mountain jersey.

The final podium of the Giro Rosa is made up of three Rabo-Liv riders. Marianne Vos won her third Giro Rosa after 2011 and 2012. The biggest threat to the world champion's crown came from 22-year old Ferrand-Prevot who finished at 15 seconds. Anna van der Breggen was third at 1:32. Mara Abbott, the 2013 winner finished in fourth at 1:54 from Vos.

"We didn't speak of rivals within the team," Vos told Cyclingnews. "The pink jersey was the most important. We shouldn't ride each other out of contention. Our rivals were outside the team with Abbott as biggest threat."

Rabo-Liv finished the Giro Rosa with six stage wins and the first three positions on the overall podium. It was by far the strongest team in this year's event.

"Riding alongside Pauline and Anna makes me better too. It keeps me focussed. But it's not only about Pauline, Anna, me or Annemiek [Van Vleuten]. Before we can play a role in the final Iris Slappendel, Roxane Knetemann, Kasia Niewiadoma and our road captain Lucinda Brand play a very important role in keeping us safe, out of the wind. Most people don't see the work they do in every stage. They counter the attacks and make that I don't have to worry. That is hugely important," Vos concluded.

Both Vos and Pooley were looking forward to la Course by the Tour de France, the women's race on the Champs Elyseés in two weeks time. "I want to support the team there," Pooley said on her plans for the month to come. "Lotto-Belisol believed in me and I want to help Jolien [D'Hoore] in Paris. After that the English rider targets the time trial and the road race at the Commonwealth Games.

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