Tenspeed Hero had reason to be in Northern Italy so we tracked down the Giro Rosa for Stage six and Stage eight. This gallery of images contains moments of starts and climbs but no finish lines.
Watching Marianne Vos climb to San Domenico di Varzo, chasing down the incredible Emma Pooley and Mara Abbot, we could only hear her breathing; Helmet down on her handlebars, Marianne punched the pedals to save the maglia rosa. It was stunning!
When the peloton came up the final slope after the struggle for the General Classification, there were no follow cars, no helicopters and no other fans. No sounds, except for some cow bells in the distance and the sound of their bicycles. As they pedaled up the road we heard one rider ask another if she had a contract to ride next year.
Gallery in no particular order
