How muddled team tactics cost Gillespie big shot at Giro stage win

Ireland's Lara Gillespie wins the bunch sprint into Salice Terme, but team tactics helped ensure the breakaway stayed away, by just a few seconds (Photo: Luc Claessen-Getty)

By Shane Stokes

Lara Gillespie was likely left a little frustrated after stage 7 of the Giro d'Italia Women on Friday, her UAE Team ADQ squad stalling in the final instead of closing down a dangerous breakaway.

The situation was complicated by the presence of their leader Elisa Longo Borghini in the break, the Italian champion jumping across to the move with just under 19km remaining.

Italian rider Longo Borghini had started the day sixth overall and was trying to regain time. However she recovered just five seconds on the reduced-size peloton, which was led home by Gillespie.

Longo Borghini's time gain was minimal, given her overnight deficit of 2:12, and the UAE squad may well rue its tactics. However the Italian rider said she got a confidence boost from her effort.  

Célia Gery, far right, has been an exceptional rider for France and FDJ United Suez, including winning the U23 road race at the Worlds last year, and now she's a Giro stage winner (Photo: Davide Spada)

Gillespie was hunting a win at the race after finishing second on stages one and two.

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The team had done too much work on Thursday's stage but did the opposite on Friday.

The breakaway's advantage had fallen continuously due to chasing from other teams, dropping from 30 seconds with five kilometers to go to 16 seconds with two kilometers remaining.

It was just ten seconds with one kilometer left but rather than making the junction and paving the way for Gillespie to get her first grand tour stage win, UAE Team ADQ hesitated, clearly not wanting to affect Longo Borghini's efforts to gain time. This was enough for the group to stay clear.

The French rider Célia Gery (FDJ United-Suez) outsprinted Lucinda Brand (Lidl-Trek) to win, with Longo Borghini finishing three seconds back and the peloton - headed by Gillespie - eight seconds behind.

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Elisa Longo Borghini of UAE Team ADQ got up the road and rode for time, as is her right as team leader, but it closed down the chances of her team mate, Ireland's Lara Gillespie (Photo: Marco Alpozzi)

The Enniskerry rider who took 7th after winning the bunch sprint - had looked strong going over the top of a category three climb 27km from the line.

She was left wondering what might have been had the team made a different tactical choice in the finale.

Anna van der Breggen (Team SD Worx-Protime) continues to lead overall, one minute clear of Demi Vollering (FDJ United – Suez). Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon/SRAM) is third, 1:24 back.

Longo Borghini stays sixth and needs to make up 2:07 on Van der Breggen if she is to win the race for a third year in succession.

With a gruelling mountain stage Saturday and a hilly race on Sunday, Gillespie may well have to wait until the Tour de France Femmes for her next chance to take a grand tour stage win. She was third last year on stage four of that race.

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