In the second stage of the Giro Donne Marta Jaskulska booked a place in the day`s breakaway. The Polish Liv Racing Xsta rider was on a mission and succeeded.
The second stage in the Giro Donne brought the peloton from Villasiumius to Tortoli. Marta Jaskulska and the Liv Racing Xstra team started the stage with the plan to take the white jersey. “After the time trial I was only one second behind, so we decided to give it a go today. I tried to get in the breakaway and take some bonification seconds to take over the white jersey”, Jaskulska explained the plan.
After two riders attacked Jaskulska and three other riders went in the counter attack. With 50 kilometres from the finish the chase group with Jaskulska made it to the front. The six escapees took a gap of three minutes. In the meanwhile the battle for the bonification seconds started at the intermediate sprint. “It was a bit hectic before the intermediate sprint. Several riders attacked just before the sprint, but we came back together. At 100 metres I launched my sprint and took the bonification seconds. So my mission was a success today and after the stage I could collect the white jersey on the podium”, Jaskulska said after the race.
The peloton caught the escapees with 10 kilometres to go. In the bunch sprint world champion Elisa Balsamo took the win. Rachele Barbieri was well positioned for the final sprint, but at the moment she wanted to launch her sprint she got boxed in and had to brake for a moment. Barbieri relaunched her sprint and finished sixth eventually.