Only 92 kilometres had to be completed between Clusone and Aprica in Lombardy. After a long period of calm on the road, Henderson attacked with Dilyxine Miermont (Ceratizit) 44 kilometres before the finish. What didn't look like a really promising breakaway attempt for a long time ultimately turned into a ride into the pink jersey, as the peloton allowed the gap to become too large and was ultimately unable to catch the 26-year-old and her companion from France.

Henderson: "I said to my friend that I have nothing to lose"

"When they gave us three minutes, I was hoping that it might be enough. I still can't believe it," said the silver medallist from the Olympic time trial in Paris after her first victory on the Women's WorldTour. "I said to my friend before the stage that I had nothing to lose. And then I just went for it."

Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team), who had won the opening time trial and was therefore riding in pink, crossed the finish line 26 seconds after the leading duo with the first group of followers led by Soraya Paladin (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto) in third place. She had to hand over her jersey to Henderson. Like Antonia Niedermaier (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto), Anna van der Breggen (Team SD Worx - Protime), most of the favourites for the overall classification made it to the finish with this group. Her team-mate Lotte Kopecky, however, finished more than two minutes behind the winner, as did Reusser's team-mate Liane Lippert.

Alongside Rosa, she also took the lead in the mountains and points classification. Niedermaier remains in the white jersey of the best young rider.

The results of the 2nd stage of the Giro d'Italia Women 2025

>> All stages of the Giro d'Italia Women 2025 at a glance
>> A look at stage 2 of the Giro d'Italia Women 2025

How the 2nd stage of the Giro d'Italia Women 2025 went

At 92 kilometres, the shortest stage of the tour was on the agenda. After the first kilometres to Lago d'Iseo and Lovere were downhill, the rest of the day was uphill. For the most part, however, only gently, "false flat" was the motto for a long time. Nevertheless, the terrain meant that some riders were left behind towards the middle of the day.

However, there were no real attacks until then, as the pace of the race was high. Anna Henderson (Lidl - Trek) and Dilyxine Miermont (CERATIZIT Pro Cycling Team) only broke away 40 kilometres before the finish, but quickly managed to open up a lead of one and a half minutes. By the time they reached the intermediate sprint in Mallono, where Henderson was ahead, it was already three minutes with a good 20 kilometres to go. In Iruani Blanco (Human Powered Health), a single chaser had set out to catch up with the leaders, but never made it to the front.

Koepcky, Lippert and Vos left behind

Slowly but surely, the lead shrank again, with 2:30 minutes remaining 15 kilometres from the finish. The big teams formed up, especially FDJ-Suez, Canyon//SRAM - zondacrypto and UAE ADQ took command. Then the climbing percentages climbed into double figures, which caused the peloton to quickly break up.

Nine kilometres before the finish, Reusser attacked and reduced the main group to 25 riders, Kopecky was not among them. At the five-kilometre mark, there was half a minute between Reusser and Kopecky and Liane Lippert and Marianne Vos (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), who were also in the breakaway. Meanwhile, Henderson and Miermont still had a one-minute lead on the first chasers.

And the lead should last until the finish. There were still 30 seconds left under the Teufelslappen. And that should be enough. Henderson was ahead in the final sprint. Paladin led the chasers to the finish in third place.