Giro d'Italia Women Stage 1 LIVE - Movistar's Marlen Reusser rides to time-trial victory to move into maglia rosa on opening stage

Movistar’s Marlen Reusser claimed the first maglia rosa of this year’s Giro d’Italia Women as she put 12 seconds into Lotte Kopecky in the 14.2km time trial in Bergamo.

In what proved to be a route designed for the pure powerhouses and time trialists, it was the stage favourite Reusser who would power to victory and put time into her general classification rivals.

Liv AlUla Jayco’s Amber Pate would be the first rider to kick off the proceedings at the 36th edition of the Grand Tour, with times often beaten before Britain’s Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek) rolled off the ramp to set a new fastest time of 17'49" after knocking Katerine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility) off the hot seat.

The Olympic silver medallist's time would set the benchmark as she held on for over an hour, until Visma-Lease a Bike’s Lieke Nooijen pipped her by just three seconds.

The Dutch rider's time would be beaten just a minute later when four-time Giro champion Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) - who returned to the Grand Tour following a three-year absence - edged four seconds ahead of her compatriot.

Reusser would prove to be the woman to beat, however, as she put in a dominant display to usurp Van der Breggen by 20 seconds and put a firm hold on the leader’s jersey with a time of 17'22".

Despite close challenges from defending champion Longo Borghini and runner-up Kopecky, the first maglia rosa goes to the Swiss in her third appearance at the Grand Tour.

There's no time wasted as we head to the mountains tomorrow, in what could begin to shape the general classification.

It's advertised as a stage of two halves, with a descent to start us off before a steady uphill drag.

There shouldn't be anything too major, with a steady uphill gradient, but there's a short kick around Santicolo. It should be a cracker!

Speaking after claiming the first maglia rosa of this year's Giro d'Italia Women, Marlen Reusser (Movistar) was in disbelief at her achievement in Bergamo.

"I’m still very excited," she said. "I can almost not believe it that we won, it feels a little surreal.

"I was not sure how good my time trial is but it was a really big dream of mine to win here and to wear pink so I was like ‘I’m not sure if it’s good enough’ and now I’ve won, I can almost not believe it. I’m super happy."

It's third place for the defending champion as she finishes 15 seconds down on Reusser.

It will be Marlen Reusser in the maglia rosa for stage two after a dominant display against the clock.

It's close for Lotte Kopecky (SD-WORX) but the clock goes red for the European champion, as she finishes 12 seconds behind Reusser.

That is how you begin your challenge for the Giro d'Italia Women's crown.

The Swiss national time trial champion is 20 seconds faster than Anna Van der Breggen and sets a new benchmark time of 17'12".

Can Kopecky or Longo Borghini displace the GC favourite?

The clock is currently showing she's 20 seconds ahead of Anna Van der Breggen.

She's inside the final 400m - how much time can she put into her rivals and claim the stage victory?

The last rider to roll off the ramp is the defending champion Elisa Longo Borghini.

She won the time trial during the opening stage of last year's Giro d'Italia and continued to wear the maglia Rosa through the remainder of the Grand Tour.

With Marlen Reusser and Kopecky ahead of her, could she find something in her to go into the pink jersey?

Lotte Kopecky (SD-Worx), who finished second to Elisa Longo Borghini last year, rolls off the ramp.

She says she's focusing on the Tour de France Femmes but surely she won't be able to help herself to better her podium last year.

That time by Lieke Nooijen barely lasted a minute as Anna Van der Breggen (SD Worx) sprints to the finish line to go into the hot seat, putting four seconds into her compatriot.

That's one way to return to the Giro after a few years away from the Grand Tour.

That's a brilliant ride by Lieke Nooijen (Visma-Lease a Bike) who knocks Anna Henderson off the hot seat.

She's three seconds faster than Henderson's time, but how long will this time lead?

She's probably the favourite for the general classification but more importantly, she's the strongest time trialist in this field.

Marlen Reusser (Movistar) begins her challenge for Elisa Longo Borghini's crown.

How much can she put into her rivals?

The graphics were indicating the four-time Giro champion was ahead of Anna Henderson's time at the time check but it appears she's just one second behind.

Could Henderson's time be about to be challenged?

She's possibly one of the most likely to come close to Anna Henderson's time out of the current riders on the road, but the Visma-Lease a Bike rider is 6 seconds down on the Brit's time.

It doesn't appear she's had a crash thankfully, but Brodie Champman (UAE ADQ) had a bike change shortly after beginning her race.

It's definitely not ideal for the Australian time trial champion.

And she's shortly followed off the ramp by the four-time Giro champion Anna Van Der Breggen, who makes her return after a three-year absence from the Grand Tour.

She's part of an incredibly strong SD Worx-Protime and she's said she's got her eye on reclaiming the pink jersey as her own.

Lieke Nooijen (Visma-Lease a Bike) returned to racing just a week or so ago after a five-month absence following a feature in her vertebra but she has already proved to be close to her best after medalling in the Dutch time trial.

Could she come close to Anna Henderson's time?

It's a very strong time trial by the French rider, who crosses the finish line, just 24 seconds down on Anna Henderson's time.

Considering the riders to come, she has done well to keep herself close to the GC contenders.

The general classification contenders are starting to roll off the ramp.

Pauliena Rooijakkers of Fenix-Deceunick, who finished 4th last year, finishes provisionally 24th, 50 seconds down on Anna Henderson after trying to limit her losses with a sprint towards the finish line.

And we've just seen Juliette Labous (FDJ-SUEZ), who will be looking to better her podium in 2023, begin her race.

The weather has been kind to the riders so far, with clear conditions in Bergamo but a helicopter view could spark some fear for later, with some grey clouds in the distance.

Apparently, there's a 35% chance of rain in the next hour but fingers crossed it holds off.