Annemiek van Fruten (Mitchelton-Scott) was critical of the Giro Rosa organizers' decision to include a gravel section in the second stage this year. The world champion won the Strade Bianche-esque stage, but after being forced to ride the gravel climb of Sedgiano, he went on to a solo victory at Archidosso.

"Sometimes people ask me what happens to my legs when I go all out," Van Vleuten posted on Twitter Sunday morning before the start of stage 3.

"I think this video shows it... I couldn't run or pedal.... But the gravel section of a stage race is unnecessary, crazy and dangerous. I wish it was just one day like Strade Bianche."

The Giro Rosa was originally scheduled to run from June 26 to July 5, but was moved to September 11-19 as part of the revised Women's World Tour calendar after the season was suspended in March due to the coronavirus

Organizers are expected to be in the same position.

Organizers announced in July that they would add a Strade Bianche-style stage with two gravel road sectors to the 124.8-km route between Paganico and Archidosso. The women raced on two gravel road sectors in Cinigiano and Seggiano, with a steep climb waiting just 16 km from the finish.

Van Vleuten won the Strade Bianche, the re-launch of the Women's World Tour, on August 1, with a great performance on the white gravel roads of Tuscany.

However, she expressed concern about the addition of gravel to the Giro Rosa. Van Vleuten attacked on Saturday's stage 2 climb of Sedgiano, but hit thick gravel on a steep gradient, causing her rear wheel to slip and she crashed.

She got back up but was forced to ride a steep section of the climb. With the help of neutral support, she eventually got going again and extended her lead at the finish to 1:16 ahead of trailing runners Anna van der Breggen (Boels Dolmans) and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM).

"Anne-Mike is on another level. The gravel in the final section was so bad that she had to walk a bit, but she kept her cool and showed class," said her director, Andrew Smith.

Van Vleuten heads into stage 3 in the overall lead, 1:18 ahead of Van der Breggen and Niewiadoma.

For full reports, results, news, features, and galleries from the 2020 Giro Rosa, visit Cycling News' dedicated women's page.