Elisa Balsamo will wear the first maglia rosa of the Giro d’Italia Women 2026 after Lorena Wiebes was disqualified following stage 1 in Ravenna. Wiebes had crossed the line first after launching a long sprint from around 300 metres out, but the Team SD Worx-Protime rider was later removed from the results after her bike was found to be under the UCI minimum weight limit.
The decision promoted Balsamo to the stage victory for Lidl-Trek, with Lara Gillespie moving up to second for UAE Team ADQ and Chiara Consonni promoted to third. Georgia Baker took fourth, Charlotte Kool fifth and Linda Zanetti sixth on a day where most of the major GC contenders finished safely in the front group.
The flat 139km stage from Cesenatico to Ravenna had ended as expected in a bunch sprint, but the final kilometres were far from simple. Wiebes had to improvise after her lead-out became stretched, while the repeated turns on the Ravenna circuit made positioning just as important as raw speed. The post-stage disqualification then turned what looked like a dominant sprint win into a very different opening classification picture.
For the next stage, ProCyclingUK’s Giro d’Italia Women 2026 stage 2 preview breaks down the route to Caorle, while the Giro d’Italia Women 2026 full route guide explains how the race develops after the opening sprint stages.
Giro d’Italia Women 2026 general classification after stage 1
Elisa Balsamo leads the overall classification after Lorena Wiebes was disqualified following the stage for using a bike that failed to meet the minimum weight requirement. Wiebes had crossed the line first in Ravenna, but the decision promoted Balsamo to the stage victory and handed the Lidl-Trek rider the first maglia rosa of the Giro d’Italia Women 2026.
Balsamo now leads the race thanks to the stage win and the 10-second time bonus. Lara Gillespie sits second at four seconds, with Chiara Consonni third at six seconds after moving onto the stage podium. The rest of the front group is 10 seconds down, including Georgia Baker, Charlotte Kool, Linda Zanetti, Gladys Verhulst-Wild, Célia Gery and Lily Williams.
Several of the main GC favourites came through the day safely. Elisa Longo Borghini, Anna van der Breggen, Demi Vollering, Niamh Fisher-Black, Isabella Holmgren, Antonia Niedermaier, Monica Trinca Colonel, Urška Žigart and Marlen Reusser all finished in the same time as the stage winner before bonuses were applied.
- 1st: Elisa Balsamo, Lidl-Trek, 3:18:12
- 2nd: Lara Gillespie, UAE Team ADQ, +0:04
- 3rd: Chiara Consonni, +0:06
- 4th: Georgia Baker, Liv AlUla Jayco, +0:10
- 5th: Charlotte Kool, Fenix-Premier Tech, +0:10
- 6th: Linda Zanetti, Uno-X Mobility, +0:10
- 7th: Gladys Verhulst-Wild, AG Insurance-Soudal, +0:10
- 8th: Célia Gery, FDJ United-Suez, +0:10
- 9th: Lily Williams, Human Powered Health, +0:10
- 10th: Alessia Vigilia, Top Girls Fassa Bortolo, +0:10
The GC race has only taken its first shape, but the opening day still matters. Balsamo now carries pink into stage 2, while the overall contenders can be satisfied that the sprint stage did not create any damaging time loss. Wiebes’ disqualification, though, immediately changes the tone of the race by removing the rider who had looked set to dominate the early sprint storyline.
Photo Credit: RCSMaglia rosa: Elisa Balsamo inherits pink after Wiebes disqualification
Elisa Balsamo will wear the first maglia rosa of the Giro d’Italia Women 2026 after Lorena Wiebes was disqualified following the opening stage in Ravenna. Wiebes had crossed the line first after launching a long sprint from around 300 metres out, but the Team SD Worx-Protime rider was later removed from the results after her bike was found to be under the UCI minimum weight limit.
The decision promoted Balsamo from second to first on the stage, giving Lidl-Trek the stage victory and the opening race lead. It was not the way Balsamo crossed the line, but it still rewards a strong sprint from one of the riders most capable of challenging Wiebes on a flat finish.
Stage 2 to Caorle now gives Balsamo the chance to defend the maglia rosa on another sprint-friendly day, although the Muro di Ca’ del Poggio adds a sharper mid-stage test before the long run to the coast. Wiebes’ disqualification also changes the early points-classification picture, turning what had looked like a dominant sprint opening into a much more unusual start to the race.
Photo Credit: RCSPoints classification: Elisa Balsamo also leads the maglia rosso
The first points jersey also belongs to Elisa Balsamo after Lorena Wiebes’ disqualification from stage 1. Wiebes had initially looked set to lead the classification after crossing the line first in Ravenna, but her removal from the results promoted Balsamo to the stage win and changed the points standings as well.
Balsamo now leads the classification on 35 points, ahead of Lara Gillespie on 25 and Chiara Consonni on 18. The intermediate sprint at Alfonsine still gave early visibility to the breakaway, with Sofia Arici taking maximum points there ahead of Sharon Spimi and Valeria Curnis. That keeps Arici high in the early points picture despite the final sprint being reshaped by the post-stage decision.
- 1st: Elisa Balsamo, Lidl-Trek, 35 points
- 2nd: Lara Gillespie, UAE Team ADQ, 25 points
- 3rd: Chiara Consonni, 18 points
- 4th: Sofia Arici, Vini Fantini-Bepink, 12 points
- 5th: Georgia Baker, Liv AlUla Jayco, 10 points
- 6th: Sharon Spimi, Top Girls Fassa Bortolo, 8 points
- 7th: Charlotte Kool, Fenix-Premier Tech, 7 points
- 8th: Linda Zanetti, Uno-X Mobility, 5 points
The maglia rosso battle has therefore opened in a very different shape from the one suggested by the finish line. Balsamo now carries both the race lead and the points lead into stage 2, while Gillespie, Consonni, Baker, Kool and the other fast finishers should still have another chance to score heavily on the road to Caorle.
Mountains classification: no maglia azzurra battle yet
Stage 1 did not include a categorised climb, so the mountains classification has not yet had a meaningful contest. The first real opportunity to shape the maglia azzurra comes on stage 2, when the race tackles the Muro di Ca’ del Poggio.
That climb is short but steep, and it should give attackers or jersey hunters a clear target in the middle of the stage. It may not decide the stage winner, but it should open the mountains classification properly.
Photo Credit: RCSYoung rider classification: Célia Gery starts in white
Célia Gery leads the young rider classification after stage 1, giving FDJ United-Suez an early jersey presence at the Giro d’Italia Women 2026. The French rider finished ninth on the stage in Ravenna and starts stage 2 in the maglia bianca.
The white jersey standings are tightly packed after the flat opener, with the top 10 all on the same time. Alessia Zambelli sits second for Top Girls Fassa Bortolo, Alexandra Volstad is third for EF Education-Oatly, and Irma Siri and Fleur Moors complete the top five.
- 1st: Célia Gery, FDJ United-Suez, 3:18:22
- 2nd: Alessia Zambelli, Top Girls Fassa Bortolo, same time
- 3rd: Alexandra Volstad, EF Education-Oatly, same time
- 4th: Irma Siri, Top Girls Fassa Bortolo, same time
- 5th: Fleur Moors, Lidl-Trek, same time
- 6th: Viktória Chladoňová, Team Visma | Lease a Bike, same time
- 7th: Rosita Reijnhout, Team Visma | Lease a Bike, same time
- 8th: Lore De Schepper, AG Insurance-Soudal Team, same time
- 9th: Isabella Holmgren, Lidl-Trek, same time
- 10th: Justyna Czapla, Canyon SRAM, same time
At this stage of the race, the young rider classification is still shaped by stage placings rather than climbing strength. That should change once the Giro reaches the uphill time trial to Nevegal and the harder mountain stages later in the week, but Gery has made the best possible start and will carry white into stage 2.
Team classification: UAE Team ADQ lead after stage 1
UAE Team ADQ lead the team classification after stage 1, helped by Gillespie’s second place and Longo Borghini finishing safely in the front group. With most of the leading teams finishing on the same combined time, placings decide the early order.
- 1st: UAE Team ADQ, 9:55:06
- 2nd: Human Powered Health, same time
- 3rd: Lidl-Trek, same time
- 4th: FDJ United-Suez, same time
- 5th: Liv AlUla Jayco, same time
- 6th: Uno-X Mobility, same time
- 7th: Team SD Worx-Protime, same time
- 8th: Team Visma | Lease a Bike, same time
- 9th: Canyon SRAM, same time
- 10th: Top Girls Fassa Bortolo, same time
The team classification is still largely symbolic after one flat stage, but UAE Team ADQ will be pleased with how the opener unfolded. They protected Longo Borghini and still placed Gillespie on the podium.
GC favourites stay safe on the opening day
The most important point for the overall contenders was that the opening stage did not create a damaging split. Longo Borghini finished 14th, Van der Breggen 19th, Vollering 25th, Fisher-Black 27th, Niedermaier 34th, Holmgren 42nd, Trinca Colonel 45th, Reusser 48th and Žigart 56th, all in the same time as the stage winner before bonuses.
That is exactly what those riders needed from Ravenna. The Giro will not be decided on the flat opening weekend, but it could have become complicated by crashes or late gaps. The 5km safety zone also helped protect the GC shape on a nervous, technical circuit.
The serious overall tests come later, especially the uphill time trial to Nevegal on stage 4, the Dolomite stage to Santo Stefano di Cadore on stage 5 and the Sestriere mountain stage on stage 8. For now, the main favourites have reached stage 2 without losing ground.
Cat Ferguson abandons after opening-stage crash
The biggest negative story of the day was Cat Ferguson’s abandonment. The British rider crashed on the opening stage and was unable to continue, ending her Giro d’Italia Women before the race had properly begun.
It was a sharp reminder that even a flat stage can carry serious risk. The first day of a Grand Tour is always nervous, and the combination of fresh legs, sprint ambitions and technical circuits can make the opening stage more dangerous than the profile suggests.
Ferguson’s withdrawal removes one of the most exciting young riders from the race and leaves Movistar Team without a rider who could have been useful on the punchier and more selective stages later in the Giro.
What stage 1 changed
Stage 1 ultimately confirmed Balsamo as the first race leader after Wiebes’ post-stage disqualification reshaped the opening result. Balsamo now leads the general classification, the points classification and carries the first maglia rosa into stage 2.
Gillespie and Consonni also leave Ravenna with strong starts after being promoted to second and third on the stage, while the GC favourites avoided the kind of opening-day time loss that can change a stage race before the real climbs arrive. The main general classification battle remains untouched, but the first jerseys now have clear owners after an unusually dramatic opening day.
The Giro moves next to stage 2 from Roncade to Caorle, where the sprinters should get another opportunity, but only after the peloton has dealt with the steep Muro di Ca’ del Poggio.
Giro d’Italia Women 2026 stage 1 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
