She was the overwhelming pre-race favourite — and she lived up to expectations. Lorena Wiebes claimed victory in the opening stage of the 2026 Giro d’Italia Women, the 139 km Cesenatico–Ravenna. But, she was disqualified by the jury under article 2.12.007 – 2.2 of the regulations.
Therefore, the victory in the opening stage is awarded to Elisa Balsamo, who will start tomorrow in the Maglia Rosa.
A sprint had been expected — and a sprint is exactly what unfolded. The stage from Cesenatico to Ravenna offered no real climbing difficulties, but that did not discourage three attackers from animating the race in its opening hours: Valeria Curnis, Sharon Spimi and Sofia Arici. Ilaria Marinetto attempted to bridge across but was unable to make contact with the leaders.
After 35 kilometres, a crash marked a key moment of the day. The most notable victim was undoubtedly Cat Ferguson, with the Movistar Team rider forced to abandon the race. The Spanish squad quickly adjusted their strategy, spending much of the stage at the front of the peloton in an effort to protect Marlene Reusser.
Once the race entered the final circuit in Ravenna, there was little doubt about the outcome. Several teams worked hard at the front of the peloton, but in the closing metres Lorena Wiebes proved by far the fastest rider in the bunch.
But she was then expelled from the Giro d’Italia Women following a breach of article 2.12.007 – 2.2: use of a bicycle not in compliance with the regulations, specifically failing to meet the minimum weight requirements.
