The Giro d’Italia Women 2026 reaches its first major general classification checkpoint on stage 4, with the riders tackling the uphill individual time trial from Belluno to Nevegal. The official start order has now been confirmed, giving a clear shape to how the afternoon will unfold.
The stage is listed as a 13km Tudor ITT, with the first rider off the start ramp at 13:05 local time, which is 12:05 BST for UK viewers. Riders then start at one-minute intervals through most of the order, before the final GC block stretches the gaps to three minutes. Elisa Balsamo, the race leader after stage 3, is the final rider to start at 15:58 local time, or 14:58 BST.
That means the key GC action will build gradually. Early riders will set the first reference times, but the main contenders are packed into the final hour, with Marlen Reusser, Mavi García, Antonia Niedermaier, Barbara Malcotti, Demi Vollering, Silvia Persico, Niamh Fisher-Black, Anna van der Breggen, Célia Gery, Elisa Longo Borghini, Lily Williams and Balsamo all starting late.
For wider context on the stage itself, our Giro d’Italia Women 2026 stage 4 preview explains why the Nevegal climb should be the first serious GC test of the race, while our GC and jerseys after stage 3 update covers the standings before the time trial.
What time does the Giro d’Italia Women stage 4 time trial start?
The first rider will start at 13:05 local time in Italy, which is 12:05 BST in the UK.
Ilaria Marinetto is the first rider down the ramp, followed by Sara Segala at 12:06 BST and Katelyn Nicholson at 12:07 BST. The opening section of the start order is mostly made up of riders further down the general classification, but that does not make it irrelevant. On an uphill time trial, an early strong ride can still become a valuable benchmark, especially if the conditions change later in the afternoon.
The key overall timings for UK viewers are:
- First rider starts: 12:05 BST
- Shirin van Anrooij listed: 12:36 BST, though she is not expected to start after Lidl-Trek confirmed she is unwell
- Vittoria Guazzini starts: 12:39 BST
- Soraya Paladin starts: 12:41 BST
- Eva van Agt starts: 12:42 BST
- Thalita de Jong starts: 12:44 BST
- Amanda Spratt starts: 12:52 BST
- Justine Ghekiere starts: 12:57 BST
- Kristen Faulkner starts: 13:25 BST
- Marion Bunel starts: 13:31 BST
- Lucinda Brand starts: 13:36 BST
- Amber Kraak starts: 13:38 BST
- Silke Smulders starts: 13:40 BST
- Chiara Consonni starts: 13:47 BST
- Lara Gillespie starts: 13:48 BST
- Femke Gerritse starts: 13:53 BST
- Erica Magnaldi starts: 13:54 BST
- Eleonora Gasparrini starts: 13:55 BST
- Nadia Gontova starts: 13:57 BST
- Urška Žigart starts: 13:58 BST
- Valentina Cavallar starts: 14:00 BST
- Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset starts: 14:01 BST
- Marlen Reusser starts: 14:02 BST
- Lore De Schepper starts: 14:04 BST
- Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig starts: 14:06 BST
- Isabella Holmgren starts: 14:07 BST
- Rosita Reijnhout starts: 14:08 BST
- Viktória Chladonová starts: 14:09 BST
- Monica Trinca Colonel starts: 14:11 BST
- Pfeiffer Georgi starts: 14:12 BST
- Debora Silvestri starts: 14:13 BST
- Mavi García starts: 14:19 BST
- Antonia Niedermaier starts: 14:22 BST
- Barbara Malcotti starts: 14:28 BST
- Lauren Dickson starts: 14:31 BST
- Demi Vollering starts: 14:34 BST
- Silvia Persico starts: 14:37 BST
- Niamh Fisher-Black starts: 14:40 BST
- Anna van der Breggen starts: 14:43 BST
- Célia Gery starts: 14:46 BST
- Margaux Vigié starts: 14:49 BST
- Elisa Longo Borghini starts: 14:52 BST
- Lily Williams starts: 14:55 BST
- Elisa Balsamo starts: 14:58 BST
The final hour should therefore be the most important part of the live coverage. Reusser provides one of the first major reference points among the GC-relevant riders, while the run of Vollering, Persico, Fisher-Black, Van der Breggen, Gery, Longo Borghini, Williams and Balsamo should decide both the stage result and the maglia rosa.
Why the start order matters on Nevegal
Time trial start orders always create their own rhythm, but stage 4 is more interesting because the course is uphill. This is not a flat, aerodynamic test where wind direction and pacing on straight roads may dominate the result. The climb to Nevegal should make the effort much more physical and much more revealing.
The late starters have the obvious advantage of knowing the reference times. By the time the GC favourites roll down the start ramp, they will know what has already been set by the earlier riders, including specialists and outsiders who may have handled the climb well. That information can influence pacing, especially on a climb where going too hard early could be costly.
The downside is pressure. The later riders are not simply chasing a stage win. They are defending or attacking the overall classification. Balsamo starts last because she leads the race, but she also starts with the knowledge that every major GC rival will have finished before her. If Vollering, Longo Borghini, Van der Breggen or Fisher-Black set a strong time, Balsamo will know exactly what she has to defend on a climb that does not naturally suit her as much as the opening sprint stages did.
Key early starters to watch
The first hour is unlikely to decide the overall classification, but it should still produce useful time checks. Shirin van Anrooij is listed to start at 12:36 BST, though Lidl-Trek have since said she is unwell and will not start the stage. Vittoria Guazzini is listed at 12:39 BST, and her time could be one of the first meaningful benchmarks if she is given space to ride the course properly.
Maike van der Duin starts at 12:40 BST, Soraya Paladin at 12:41 BST and Eva van Agt at 12:42 BST. That run of riders should help establish how the course is riding, especially through the transition from the opening kilometres into the climbing section.
Thalita de Jong starts at 12:44 BST, while Amanda Spratt follows later at 12:52 BST. Justine Ghekiere, a strong climber, starts at 12:57 BST and could be one of the more interesting names before the race reaches the GC-heavy final block.
Mid-order riders who could set useful benchmarks
The middle section of the start order includes several riders capable of producing strong climbing or time-trial performances without necessarily being among the final GC favourites.
Kristen Faulkner starts at 13:25 BST, and her ride should be watched closely. She has the engine for this type of effort, although the uphill nature of the course makes it more complicated than a flat time trial. If she starts fast and holds the climb well, her time could remain relevant deep into the afternoon.
Marion Bunel starts at 13:31 BST, followed by riders such as Charlotte Kool at 13:35 BST, Lucinda Brand at 13:36 BST and Amber Kraak at 13:38 BST. Brand and Kraak in particular should give useful comparisons, because both have the experience and strength to pace a controlled effort.
The group from 13:45 BST onwards becomes increasingly important for the stage narrative. Gladys Verhulst-Wild starts at 13:45 BST, Linda Zanetti at 13:46 BST, Chiara Consonni at 13:47 BST and Lara Gillespie at 13:48 BST. For Consonni and Gillespie, this is more about limiting losses after strong opening stages than challenging for the stage, but their times will help show how much the climb is reshaping the race.
The next group also carries useful climbing and GC references. Femke Gerritse starts at 13:53 BST, Erica Magnaldi at 13:54 BST and Eleonora Gasparrini at 13:55 BST. Nadia Gontova follows at 13:57 BST, with Urška Žigart starting one minute later. This is a valuable sequence because it includes riders who can climb well enough to expose the scale of the challenge before the final favourites begin.
Valentina Cavallar starts at 14:00 BST, followed by Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset at 14:01 BST. Haugset was caught late on stage 3 after a bold attack, and while this is a very different test, her ride will be another useful marker before the bigger GC contenders arrive.
Reusser begins the major GC reference block
Marlen Reusser is one of the most important starters of the day, rolling off at 14:02 BST. Her start time comes before the final three-minute interval block, but she should provide one of the strongest reference points for the overall contenders.
A flatter time trial would have suited Reusser even more obviously, but her ability to sustain power still makes her dangerous on an uphill course. The key question is whether the steepest parts of Nevegal reduce her advantage enough to bring the pure climbers closer. If she posts a leading time, the later riders will have a clear target.
Lore De Schepper starts at 14:04 BST and Caroline Andersson follows at 14:05 BST, before the sequence intensifies. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig starts at 14:06 BST, Isabella Holmgren at 14:07 BST, Rosita Reijnhout at 14:08 BST and Viktória Chladonová at 14:09 BST. That is an important group for the young rider classification and for the wider GC picture.
Monica Trinca Colonel starts at 14:11 BST, with Pfeiffer Georgi at 14:12 BST and Debora Silvestri at 14:13 BST. From this point, the race should feel much closer to a GC test than a simple stage time trial.
Final starters for Giro d’Italia Women stage 4
The final 15 riders start at three-minute intervals, which should make the live coverage easier to follow and give each major contender a clearer place in the story.
The final starters in UK time are:
- Mie Bjørndal Ottestad, 14:16 BST
- Mavi García, 14:19 BST
- Antonia Niedermaier, 14:22 BST
- Femke de Vries, 14:25 BST
- Barbara Malcotti, 14:28 BST
- Lauren Dickson, 14:31 BST
- Demi Vollering, 14:34 BST
- Silvia Persico, 14:37 BST
- Niamh Fisher-Black, 14:40 BST
- Anna van der Breggen, 14:43 BST
- Célia Gery, 14:46 BST
- Margaux Vigié, 14:49 BST
- Elisa Longo Borghini, 14:52 BST
- Lily Williams, 14:55 BST
- Elisa Balsamo, 14:58 BST
This is where the stage should be decided. Vollering is one of the obvious favourites because the course suits her blend of climbing strength and time-trial discipline. Longo Borghini has the experience and climbing resilience to challenge, while Van der Breggen and Fisher-Black are both well placed to move up the general classification.
The riders just before Vollering are also worth watching. García remains a dangerous climber on a course like this, Niedermaier has the profile to use the climb as a launchpad, and Malcotti is close enough in the standings to turn a strong ride into a meaningful GC move. Lauren Dickson’s late start reflects her high placing after stage 3, and the Nevegal climb will show how far that GC position can carry into the harder terrain.
Persico, Fisher-Black and Van der Breggen form a particularly important run after Vollering. Persico has the punch and resilience for an uphill test, Fisher-Black has the climbing quality to gain time, and Van der Breggen’s pacing and experience make her one of the riders most likely to get close to the maximum from the effort.
Gery, Vigié and Williams then give the closing section extra intrigue. Gery is defending the young rider lead and starts late because of her strong GC position. Vigié has been consistent enough to earn a place among the final starters, while Williams starts second last after moving to second overall with her stage 3 sprint. Balsamo starts last as the maglia rosa, but her task is different. She does not need to win the stage to keep her race in a strong position. Her priority will be limiting losses on a climb that favours the GC riders more than the sprinters.
What the start order tells us about the GC battle
The start order reflects the current general classification, and it sets up a strong final act. Balsamo goes last because she leads, with Lily Williams just ahead of her after moving to second overall on stage 3. Longo Borghini starts three minutes before Williams, giving her the chance to set a late benchmark before the final two riders finish.
Vollering starts at 14:34 BST, which means several key rivals will still be on course or yet to start when she begins. That makes her ride a potential turning point. If she sets a time that others struggle to match, the entire tone of the Giro could shift before Balsamo has even left the start ramp.
Fisher-Black and Van der Breggen are also positioned perfectly for a major move. Both start late enough to have full information from earlier riders, and both have the climbing quality to gain time on a stage like this. Gery, Vigié and Williams may also discover how realistic their high GC positions are once the road starts rising towards Nevegal.
This is the first stage of the Giro d’Italia Women 2026 where the standings should be shaped by individual climbing strength rather than sprint bonuses or positioning. The start order gives it a neat crescendo, with the biggest names and the pink jersey question saved for the final minutes.
