Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team rider Matilde Vitillo stormed to an incredible victory on home roads at the Giro dell’Appennino Donne Elite today. The win is the first European victory of the 2025 season for the squad after a season filled with many strong performances to date.
After several races in a row, Liv AlUla Jayco’s Continental Team riders were close to success, and finally the 24-year-old Italian delivered a reward for her hardworking teammates, proving to be the strongest of a breakaway of three riders and throwing her arms in the air for an impressive win.
In the first ever edition of the Giro dell’Appennino Donne Elite, riders covered a rolling course of 92.5kilometres and were faced with the altimeters on the menu, especially in the second part of the race.
Just over 40 kilometres from the finish line was the summit of the Passo dei Giovi and in the last 25 kilometres there was the climb of the Livellato. After that, a mostly downhill stretch remained towards the finish line in Genova.
The riders had been given a clear assignment by the sport directors to make the race as hard as possible in the first, mainly flat section. The entire Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team kept the pace high, which caused several riders to drop early.
The first serious breakaway formed on the Passo dei Giovi with two Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team riders, Kaia Schmid and Vitillo, part of a group of seven riders. On the Livellato, only three riders remained at the head of the race: Vitillo and two riders from BePink.
In the deep final, Italy’s Vitillo played the game smartly. She neutralized attacks from BePink’s two teammates and kept enough energy in the tank to squeeze out a fierce final sprint 150 metres from the line. This proved powerful enough to take the win.
For Vitillo, the victory is extra meaningful, her first victory of the season at a race starting in Novi Ligure, less than 70 kilometres from her hometown.
Matilde Vitillo
“We had agreed beforehand to go full gas in the first, flat part of the race. The hope was to make it as difficult as possible for the competition. The whole team delivered fantastic efforts. A lot of riders were already not fresh anymore when the first climb started.
On that climb, Kaia Schmid and I were well in the front. We worked cooperatively there. On the second climb the breakaway exploded and luckily, I was strong enough to be able to go with the two riders from BePink.
The last 20 kilometres were a tactical battle. BePink’s riders attacked alternately, hoping to exhaust and drop me, but I had a response to every attack. In the last few hundred metres, I saw that they too had lost quite a lot of energy. Then at 150 metres, after the last attack, I started the sprint myself, which luckily turned out well. I really gave everything I had in me there.
I am very grateful for the work the whole team did today. The ladies were amazing. Also the support from the team car was great. It helped me in the final to make the right choices.
This victory means a lot to me. It is a confirmation that I am on the right track. The Giro dell’Appennino Donne Elite is special because it is a race held quite close to where I live. Last week I went here for a recon. It’s great that all that work is now rewarded with a win!”
Giro dell’Appennino Donne Elite results
1. Matilde Vitillo (Liv AlUla Jayco – Continental Team) 2:29:02
2. Irene Cagnazzo (+00”02)
3. Gaia Segato (+00”02)
4. Elisa Valtulini (+01”45)
Photo: Sprint Cycling
