Lieke Nooijen finished fourth in the opening time trial of the Giro d'Italia Women. After Nooijen already rode a strong time trial at the Dutch Championships, the 22-year-old rider showed again today that she is good in the race against the clock. Elisa Longo Borghini won the stage.

"It was a tough day," Nooijen looks back. "It was a technical course with a few obstacles. The roads were not perfect, so you had to stay focused the whole time trial. I had the route good in my head and planned my ride well. I gave everything I could and am happy with the final result.”

The strong performance gives confidence for the coming stages. "This result gives a lot of motivation for the coming days. I felt good today and hope to compete with the best more often in the coming week. In addition, I will do my best to do my part to contribute to the team's goals."