Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini successfully defended her title at the Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region, taking her second straight victory with a perfectly timed attack in the closing kilometre. The Italian rider proved once again she has a sharp instinct for seizing the decisive moment, holding off a fast-finishing Cat Ferguson and Linda Riedmann on the line.
The 124km course from Filderstadt to Stuttgart featured rolling terrain, enough to tempt the attackers but still within reach of the sprinters. With a strong field on the start line, including Kasia Niewiadoma, Silvia Persico, Chiara Consonni, Letizia Paternoster, Liane Lippert, Shari Bossuyt and Elisa Balsamo, the expectation was of a selective but fast race.
Aggressive start animates the race
True to form, Niewiadoma set the tone on the early climbs, attacking repeatedly to harden the race. Her aggression sparked the formation of a breakaway group that included Persico, Justine Ghekiere, Fleur Moors and Yara Kastelijn. The quality in the move was clear, but the peloton, marshalled by Movistar and EF Education-Oatly, kept the leash short and ensured a regrouping before halfway.
The Polish rider was undeterred and launched again in the finale, driving the pace in a reduced bunch of around 30 riders. Her constant pressure was clearly aimed at turning the race into a war of attrition rather than a straightforward sprint.
Swinkels lights up the finale
With the favourites briefly watching each other, Karlijn Swinkels took the opportunity to launch a solo move. The Dutch rider from UAE Team ADQ rode strongly off the front and built a promising lead that lasted deep into the final 10 kilometres. However, the chase never relented, and her effort was neutralised as the race headed towards its conclusion.
That set the stage for her teammate Gasparrini to make her decisive strike. Timing her attack with less than a kilometre to go, she surged clear of the reduced group. Ferguson responded late, producing a furious sprint in the final metres, but the line came just in time for Gasparrini to celebrate her second consecutive win in Stuttgart.
Podium and top ten
Behind the leading duo, Riedmann secured third place with a strong sprint from the chasing group. Bossuyt and Fien Van Eynde both finished inside the top ten for Belgium, while Quinty Schoens was the first Dutch finisher in tenth. Lippert, who had attacked earlier in support of Ferguson, paid for her efforts and crossed the line in seventh.
It was a race defined by aggression and opportunism, but ultimately decided by the sharp tactical play of UAE Team ADQ. Swinkels’ long-range move softened up the com
2025 Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region result
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Main photo credit: Getty
