Australian celebrates early giving Marianne Vos a stunning Giro Rosa stage win

Lucy Kennedy of Mitchelton-Scott thought she had it. Her first UCI Women’s WorldTour stage win on Stage 3 of the 2019 Giro Rosa. Instead, a charging Marianne Vos (CCC-Liv) took her second consecutive stage win at the 10-stage race in Northern Italy. Kennedy looked poised to win, looking back to see Vos a couple of meters behind her and beginning her celebration but it was a couple of pedal strokes too early on the tough inclines into Piedicavallo. 

As soon as Kennedy looked forward, Vos got out of the saddle and gave it everything she had charging past a stunned Kennedy. Despite the considerable embarrassment and frustration that comes with such a close win, Kennedy took in in stride.

“Lesson most definitely learnt: always sprint beyond the line and never celebrate early,” 30-year-old Kennedy wrote in a Tweet. “It hurts to come so close to my first women’s WorldTour win at the Giro Rosa today, but I can be very happy with my form and how my team executed our plan perfectly (until 3m to go).”

Lesson most definitely learnt: always sprint beyond the line and never celebrate early. It hurts to come so close to my first #WWT win at #girorosa today, but I can be very happy with my form and how @MitcheltonSCOTT executed our plan perfectly (until 3m to go ??‍♀️) pic.twitter.com/xDyFZ7rM4G

— Lucy Kennedy (@lucyjkenn) July 7, 2019

Vos, a savvy veteran with 23 stage wins at the Giro Rosa and regarded as the greatest women’s cyclist of all time, had a word with Kennedy after the line congratulating her for a strong ride and offering a valuable piece of advice.