Giro d'Italia Women to Demi Vollering: reversal in final rush
The Giro d’Italia Women changes mistress right in the final rush in Saluzzo, in a thrilling epilogue that saw Demi Vollering overturn the fortunes of the Corsa Rosa and win the Luce Infinita Trophy for the first time. The final stage was lit up right from the first GPM of the day, Montoso, where there was an initial selection that reduced the Maglia Rosa group to just seven. The decisive attack, however, came at the end of the descent, with an initial spurt by Antonia Niedermaier on which Elisa Longo Borghini and Niamh Fisher-Black came in her wake.
On the trio, which had come to boast as much as a 2’12” margin, Demi Vollering brought herself back after the last GPM of the day, and with 37 kilometers to go she finally pulled away from Maglia Rosa Anna Van der Breggen. As Vollering consolidated her lead in the overall standings, Elisa Longo Borghini sprinted to victory over Niamh Fisher-Black in the sprint for the stage win. The winner of the last two editions completed the 145 kilometers in 3h45’09”, at an average speed of 38.640 km/h, sprinting ahead of Niamh Fisher-Black and Antonia Niedermaier, who came in at two seconds and was thus able to consolidate her second place in the overall.
Demi Vollering added the Giro d’Italia Women to the successes she had already achieved at the Tour de France Femmes and the Vuelta Femenina, becoming the second athlete in history to complete the trilogy of women’s Grand Tours. On the podium with her were Niedermaier and Van der Breggen, with Longo Borghini and Fisher-Black completing the top 5. For Vollering also the Maglia Azzurra of the GPMs, with Elisa Balsamo and Isabella Holmgren taking home the Maglia Rossa and Maglia Bianca, respectively.
President of Federciclismo Cordiano Dagnoni, present in Saluzzo for the final awards ceremony, said, “Congratulations to Vollering, unquestionably the strongest athlete this season, capable of collecting victories in classics and grand tours. Her success embellishes this edition of the Giro Women, as beautiful and exciting as ever. Congratulations also to the Italians and in particular to Elisa Balsamo, author of four stage victories and winner of the Maglia Rossa, and to Elisa Longo Borghini, who with great pride closed today’s race with a victory.”
“The Giro Women continues to grow from a technical point of view and for the quality of the participants. This was the goal we set at the beginning of our term and we are achieving it,” Dagnoni added.
