American Kristen Faulkner won the first stage of the Women’s Giro d’Italia on Thursday, a 4.7-kilometre individual time trial in Cagliari, to take the first pink jersey in the ten-stage race. On a flat course along the Sardinian coast, the 29-year-old American from the Team BikeExchange/Jayco team set the fastest time ahead of her Australian teammate Georgia Baker, 2nd at 3 seconds 68/100.
The Italian Elisa Balsamo, reigning world champion on the road (online) but also a specialist in speed on the track, won the third time, at 5 sec 50/100. After this appetizer, the Women’s Giro continues on Friday with the first stage in line, still in Sardinia, which should logically be settled in the sprint. After three days in Sardinia and a rest day on Sunday, the peloton will head to northern Italy for a final finish scheduled for July 10 in Padua, Veneto.