Niamh Fisher-Black takes advantage to claim New Zealand stage win in women’s Giro d’Italia

“Finally getting a podium like this is the best win of my career,” says the 23-year-old SD Worx-Protime rider.

Niamh Fisher-Black (SD Worx-Protime) is a cyclist who won the first women’s under-23 road world title in Wollongong in 2022, and now a New Zealander has also topped the podium. Women’s Giro d’Italia.

After 35 editions, her nation has secured a personal level victory in the Italian event and Fisher-Black has given a timely boost to her hopes of a memorable victory in a race that has long been a key event on the women’s cycling calendar.

“I’m very happy with this win,” Fisher-Black said after celebrating the victory in the third stage. “Confirms that my evolution is on the right track. The Olympics are approaching, so everyone is in great shape. “I already had many honors at the Giro, but finally winning the stage like this… It’s the best victory of my career.”

Fisher-Black claimed her fifth UCI race victory and second Women’s World Tour victory (she added the U23 world title by finishing 12th in the combined elite and U23 women’s road races). The 12.5km Category 2 climb to Tono may have been an opening salvo for the female climbers in the race, with bigger challenges like Blackhouse to come, but Fisher Black made the most of her strengths on the climbs.

The 23-year-old was quick to respond to an attack and then hit one of his own while on the slopes of the final climb in the front group of the favorites along with Lotte Kopecky.

“Lotte (Kopecky) and I were in a perfect situation, the two leading in a small group,” Fisher-Black said. “I had a lot of confidence in Lotte’s final sprint, so I already knew it was my responsibility.”

“When Mavi Garcia attacked, I reacted and approached her when the slope leveled off a bit. On the next steep section, I attacked and was alone at the front. I tried to go as fast as possible because I was afraid they might come back.

“I saw an opportunity and grabbed it with both hands.”

Three days after her fifth Giro d’Italia women’s, Fisher-Black completed her list of podium finishes, crossing the finish line six seconds ahead of the chasing pack and adding another step to the number of podiums she started to accumulate on her first stage. Participation in the race. Kopecky crossed the finish line ahead of his rivals in the chase group, giving a team full of contenders first and second place on the podium.

“I’m really happy with this win for Niamh Fisher-Black,” said Kopecky, who also finished second in the final sprint of the second stage. “Everyone has told Niamh over and over that she needs to believe in herself and take her chances. That’s what he did today.”

Fisher-Black is currently the highest-ranked New Zealand rider in a new generation of talented riders, with compatriots Kim Katso (EF Education-Cannondale) and Ella Willey (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) also in this year’s edition. Women’s Giro d’Italia.

In the next climb of the eight-stage race, Fisher-Black has a high chance of gaining a foothold. After his victory, he has risen to fifth in the general classification, one minute behind race leader Elisa Longo Borghini (Liddle-Trek), and has positioned himself as leader of the mountain classification.

“It’s not a goal,” Fisher-Black said of the polka dot jersey, “because I still have bigger goals in this Giro d’Italia. I want to do a good final classification. That will be decided on the climbs, so I hope to do well on the climbs anyway.” , and then I automatically get points for the mountain jersey.