It rained and it rained. A few weak shoots of sunlight illuminated the finish in Ovada.

Sharp, short ascents rather that sustained climbing efforts. Verdant fields and tight tree-lines.

Narrow roads^[4], fast and technical descents. A classic sprint with a long straight finish.

The threatened thunderstorms never materialized, but the conditions were gritty and tough for the first 100km^[1]. The middle part of the day was raced hard and a breakaway escaped to take the stage and four minutes. Three of our riders were able to follow wheels in the peloton coming home in a large group with the maglia rosa ^[3]. Victory went to Marianne Vos who won the four-way sprint. Clara Koppenburg was the team's top finisher, bringing it home safely in the bunch along with Heidi Franz and Krista Doebel-Hickok.

  Pre-stage, the mechanics discuss the comparative merits of different tire pressures. The press officer zones out.^[5]

  The break gets away on the second GPM and Clara leads the chase in the peloton.^[2]

Marianne Vos wins the stage in a four-way sprint. The peloton – with Heidi, Clara, and Krista – cross four minutes later.