Monday, 15 July 2019:

Australian cycling team Mitchelton-Scott have repeated their Giro Rosa success, with leader Annamiek van Vleuten successfully defending her title.

As the Dutch world champion confirmed the title in Sunday's final stage, Australian teammate Amanda Spratt also finished third overall for the second year in a row.

Marianna Vos also capped a massive Giro Rosa for the Netherlands - the dominant nation in women's road cycling - when she took out the final stage.

That was her fourth stage win in the 10-stage race, the only Grand Tour in women's cycling, and the seventh by a Dutch rider.

But the race again belonged to van Vleuten, who took the overall lead when she torched her rivals in stage five.

Having won the Giro's Queen stage, the reigning world individual time trial champion backed that up a day later by also taking out stage six, an uphill time trial.

She was 21st in Sunday's 120km stage from San Vito al Tagliamento to Udine, finishing 17 seconds behind Vos, and Spratt was 17th.

Overall van Vleuten finished three minutes 45 seconds ahead of compatriot Anna van der Breggen and 6:55 up on Spratt.

The only blemish in the Giro Rosa for Mitchelton Scott was when Australian rider Lucy Kennedy celebrated seconds too early and Vos blasted past her to win stage three.

With her overall lead secure, van Vleuten worked hard in stage nine to help Spratt improve to third overall.

"It was a big thanks to Annemiek in yesterday's stage, she probably sacrificed a stage win by giving Spratty that early attack to split the group," said team director Martin Vestby.

"It just shows what kind of team we are and the respect between the riders."

Defending the title is another massive success for van Vleuten, who needed several months to recover from a knee fracture she suffered in the road race at last September's world championships.

"It's so cool to win again, especially as I felt even a little bit better than last year," van Vleuten said.

"I felt so relaxed today with all of the team around me so it was a fantastic Giro-Rosa.

"It is a dream come true again - last year was the first time and now we did it again.

"It was a really big goal of mine this year and to finish it off for the second time in a row is really special."

AAP