13th Giro d'Italia Femminile - NE

Italy, July 5-14, 2002

2001 Results Photos Stage List Start List

The Stages

Prologue - July 5: Pontedera ITT 2 km
Stage 1 - July 6: Pontedera-Perignano di Lari, 128 km
Stage 2 - July 7: Peccioli-Peccioli, 112 km
Stage 3 - July 8: Lari-Cascina, 105 km
Stage 4 - July 9: Correggio-Correggio, 118 km
Stage 5 - July 10: Lesmo-Triuggio, 94 km
Stage 6 - July 11: Suno-Suno ITT, 19.5 km
Stage 7 - July 12: Meda-Meda, 122 km
Stage 8 - July 13: Barzago-Barzago, 101 km
Stage 9 - July 14: Solbiate Olona-Gorla Minore, 87.7 km

Preview

Starting with a 2 kilometre prologue in Pontedera on Friday, July 5 is the 13th edition of the Giro d'Italia femminile. This year's Giro is run over 10 days and four regions (Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont and Lombardia), containing just one other time trial on Stage 6 in Suno (19.5 km). ,p> This marks a reduction in length from previous editions which have been run over 14 days. The decision to reduce the distance was made by Giuseppe Rivolta (Associclosportivi di Sovico) in conjunction with the O.G.C. (Organizzazione Gare Ciclistiche). Italian cycling federation president Giancarlo Ceruti approved of the change, saying that it would provide a spectacle without seriously affecting the health of the athletes.

Features of note during the race include the second stage from Peccioli to Peccioli (112 km), which is modeled on the Coppa Sabatini. The first mountain top finish is on Stage 3 from Lari to Cascina, with the next being on Stage 5 from Lesmo-Triuggio. The time trial on Stage 6 in Suno has an uphill finish too, and was used in 1997 for the Italian National Championships. The penultimate Stage 8 contains the climb of Villa Vergano, which could well prove decisive.

Favourites include multiple winner Fabiana Luperini (Edilsavino), Swiss rider Nicole Brändli (Acca Due O), Zinaida Stahurskaia (Usci Chirio), and Alessandra Cappellotto (Power Plate - Bik).

Photography

Images by Walter Brambilla/www.laborraccia.it

Stage 6 - July 11: Suno-Suno ITT, 19.5 km

Zinaida Stahurskaja (Chirio Forno d'Asolo) gets herself geed before take off
A rider from the Chinese national women's team poses for a photo
Svetlana Boubnenkova (Team Aliverti Kookai) unloads with the champagne as the leader on GC after stage 6

Stage 7 - July 12: Meda-Meda, 122 km

A rider from the Alfa Lum team all smiles before the start
Riders from the Spanish national team a happy bunch of friends
Olga Slyousareva (Itera) outsprints the peloton to win the seventh stage

Stage 8 - July 13: Barzago-Barzago, 101 km

Riders with understandably dreary faces begin the eighth stage in foul weather
This tourist appears to be overwhelmed with the beauty of the region
Joulia Martisova (Itera Team) leads the main bunch in pursuit of the breakaway
The peloton endure the atypical weather in Italy at this time of year
Zinaida Stahurskaja (U.S.C. Chirio Forno d'Asolo) wins the stage and moves into second overall
Edita Pucinskaite (MeH Figurella) crosses the line for third place

Stage 9 - July 14: Solbiate Olona-Gorla Minore, 87.7 km

The Beltman sisters could easily pull off a double act
The peloton passes through the streets of Gorla Minore for the final time
The peloton speeds through the streets of Gorla Minore
Olga Slyousareva (Itera Team) attempts to bridge the gap to breakaway rider Fatima Blazquez-Lozano, but to no avail
Fatima Blazquez-Lozano (Real Federacion Espanola) crosses the line victorious
Fatima Blazquez-Lozano (Real Federacion Espanola) noticeably exhausted after winning the final stage to Gorla Minore
The final podium - Svetlana Boubnenkova (Team Aliverti Kookai) wins the 13th Giro donne, ahead of Zinaida Stahurskaja (Chirio Forno d'Asolo, left) and Diana Ziliute (Acca Due O Pasta Zara, right)
Team Aliverti Kookai celebrates their win as Svetlana Boubnenkova wins the 13th Giro d'Italia Femminile
Sara Carrigan (Australian National Team) wins the overall in the young rider classification

Past winners

2001 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) Nicole Brandli (Swi)         Diana Ziliute (Ltu)
2000 Joane Somarriba (Spa)     Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Valentina Polkhanova (Rus)
1999 Joane Sommariba (Spa)     Svetlana Boubnkova (Rus)     Daniela Veronesi (Smr)
1998 Fabiana Luperini (Ita)    Linda Jackson (Can)          Barbara Heeb (Swi)
1997 Fabiana Luperini (Ita)    Linda Jackson (Can)          Edita Pucinskaite (Lit)
1996 Fabiana Luperini (Ita)    Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Imelda Chiappa (Ita)
1995 Fabiana Luperini (Ita)    Luzia Zberg (Swi)            Roberta Bonanomi (Ita)
1994 Michela Fanini (Ita)      Kathy Watt (Aus)             Luzia Zberg (Swi)
1993 Lenka Ilavska (Slo)       Luzia Zberg (Swi)            Imelda Chiappa (Ita)
1992 No race held 
1991 No race held 
1990 Catherine Marsal (Fra)    Maria Canins (Ita)           Kathy Watt (Aus)
1989 Roberta Bonanomi (Ita)    Alexandra Koliasseva (URSS)  T. Vyksted Nyman (Fin)
1988 Maria Canins (Ita)        Elisabeth Hepple (Aus)       Petra Rossner (DDR)