Photos: GettySport
In her first stage race for Human Powered Health Cycling, new signing Giada Borghesi continued the team’s successful run of form in the Giro d’Italia Women by scoring sixth on stage 4.
The 21-year-old infiltrated a late breakaway that then became a group of five on the roads from Imola to Urbino. Borghesi put the hammer down on a finishing ramp to evade the likes of world champion Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx – Protime) and Maglia Rosa Elisa Longo Borhini (Lidl – Trek) at the end of the 134 km stage.
“I’m very excited because getting a sixth place at a stage of the Giro is something really satisfying,” said Borghesi. “Especially this being my first Giro. I felt good and seeing myself in front of so many athletes who I usually watched on television was special.”
Borghesi has taken to racing on the Women’s WorldTour strongly, enjoying the athlete and staff atmosphere that surrounds the athletes at races.
“I’m happy to have got this result in the colors of Human Powered Health,” she says. “I’m getting on really well with the team and I’m honored to be part of it every day.”
This is Human Powered Health’s third top-8 finish in four days in Italy. Previously, Ruth Edwards had captured eighth in the opening day time-trial and Silvia Zanardi sprinted to sixth in the first bunch sprint.
Zanardi was also part of the action on stage 4 – where temperatures hit 98 degrees – riding strongly in a 96 km long breakaway.
-
- Zanardi in the break.
-
- Romy Kasper on hydration duty.
“It was a very hot day in the break but I’m happy I was there for the day,” Zanardi said. “I tried to grit my teeth as much as possible on the climb to then be with my teammates and help them as much as possible in the finale.”
Zanardi and Linda Zanetti will be on kinder ground tomorrow with a rolling parcours from Frontone to Foligno that the sprinters have earmarked.
“Tomorrow is a little flatter day,” she explains. “We’ll see if it will arrive in a sprint or not but I will give it my all as always.”
Giro d’Italia stage 4 results
1 EMOND Clara – EF Education-Cannondale 3:35:45
2 PALADIN Soraya – Canyon//SRAM Racing 0:17
3 LUDWIG Cecilie Uttrup – FDJ – SUEZ 0:20
4 CHABBEY Elise – Canyon//SRAM Racing 0:26
5 (LE COURT) PIENAAR Kimberley – AG Insurance – Soudal Team 0:28
6 BORGHESI Giada – Human Powered Health 0:35
7 ERIĆ Jelena – Movistar Team 0:41
8 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa – Lidl – Trek 1:08
9 KOPECKY Lotte – Team SD Worx – Protime ”
10 OTTESTAD Mie Bjørndal – Uno-X Mobility 1:12
