FORMAZZA, Italy (AP) — Olympic champion Anna van der Breggen of the Netherlands added to her overall lead in the prestigious Giro d’Italia Donne on Monday, winning a difficult uphill time trial by more than a minute over teammate and countrywoman Demi Vollering.
Van der Breggen finished the 11.2 kilometer effort in 24 minutes, 57 seconds, adding 1:05 to her lead over Vollering and gaining even more time in her lead over Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, who had been second overall heading into the fourth stage of the 10-day stage race across Italy. Moolman-Pasio finished 1:30 behind in fourth place on the stage.
Van der Breggen, the reigning world champion, now leads Moolman-Pasio by 2:51 as she aims not only for her fourth Giro title but also for the Tokyo Games. She is the heavy favorite to defend her gold medal from Rio de Janeiro in the road race, where her top competition could be Vollering and fellow Dutch star Marianne Vos.
The fifth stage Tuesday takes riders 120 kilometers from Milan to Carugate.
