Giro d’Italia Donne stage 8: van Vleuten crashes but still takes an incredible victory

Some late-race drama didn’t stop Pink jersey Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) from winning stage 8 of the Giro d’Italia Donne and extending her lead on Mavi García (UAE Team ADQ) on Friday. Stage 8 went from Rovereto to Aldeno for a total of 104.7 km.

?? L’importante non è come cadi…
Ma come ti rialzi e vinci! ?
Annemiek van Vleuten TOPPERIA VERA! ?

?? The most important thing is not to fall, but rising again and win! ?
SUPER TOP Annemiek van Vleuten! ?#GiroDonne22 #GiroDonne pic.twitter.com/PvZEedFgFX

— Giro Donne (@giro_donne) July 8, 2022

Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) would finish second, and world champ Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) came third. Kristen Faulkner (BikeExchange-Jayco), who attacked early on in the stage, took fourth.

Van Vleuten launched at the bottom of the Lago di Cei climb, with just 30 km to go. Cavalli and García tried to match her but the Dutch rider would prove to be too much for her. On the descent, van Vleuten locked her wheel and went into the grass, but managed to get back on the asphalt and sail to the win.

#GiroDonne22 ???

Heart rate through the roof! ???

Well held, @FaulknerKristen ?? pic.twitter.com/AYyTfVjTsP

— Team BikeExchange-Jayco (@GreenEDGEteam) July 8, 2022

Canadian Anna Gabrielle Traxler finished in 42nd, Sara Poidevin was 84th, Magdeleine Vallieres was 85th and Leah Kirchmann was 96th.