Cyclist Liane Lippert clinches victory in Giro d'Italia's final stage, while Elisa Longo Borghini battles for overall classification win
In the thrilling conclusion of the 2022 Giro d'Italia Women's race, Liane Lippert (Movistar) clinched the victory of the final stage, outpacing Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) after a gruelling 134km race that culminated at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari Racetrack in Imola.
The final stage was a challenging circuit race that saw fierce competition throughout. The overall winner of the Giro, Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ), defended her lead on the final stage, ultimately finishing fourth on the day behind her main rival Marlen Reusser (Movistar), who ended 18 seconds behind Longo Borghini in the general classification.
The race began with a breakaway formed by Lea Curinier, Sara Casasola, and Lorena Wiebes. However, Casasola and Casasola fell back into the peloton after the final trip up the Mazzolano. Wiebes was dropped on the steep climb at 39km to go during the third trip up the Cima Gallisterna, leaving Curinier to continue the breakaway.
Silke Smulders rode solo, leaving Curinier in her tracks on the final climb of the day, but was eventually caught by a select group of riders including Harvey and Gigante. Sarah Gigante won the penultimate stage of the Giro d'Italia Women, but it was Lippert who took the stage win, beating van der Breggen on the line.
Wiebes' tough day on the bike went from bad to worse as she was dropped by the peloton with 23.3km to go, leaving the final day on the roads of Italy to be decided by a sprint between Lippert and van der Breggen.
Amanda Spratt and Mikayla Harvey bridged the gap between the peloton and the breakaway, joining the race for the final sprint. However, it was Lippert who proved to be the fastest, securing a well-deserved victory on the final stage of the race.
Meanwhile, Longo Borghini demonstrated consistency and strength on the queen stage and the final stage to clinch the pink jersey and the overall Giro title for the second year running. Her lead in the General Classification was never threatened, and she defended her title by 18 seconds, securing a convincing victory in the 2022 Giro d'Italia Women's race.
The final stage of the Giro d'Italia Women's race was a thrilling and challenging circuit race that showcased intense competition among the participants. In addition to the competition, sports like cycling highlight the physical endurance and mental toughness required to perform at the highest level.
