In the end, it was hometown hero Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) who emerged victorious, defending her maglia rosa and securing her second consecutive Giro title. But it wasn’t without a fight. The final two stages delivered a suspenseful shake-up that saw her wrest the pink jersey from Marlen Reusser (Movistar) and hold it all the way to the finish in Imola.
And as if the GC battle wasn’t enough, the final stage offered one more twist: Liane Lippert (Movistar) — who had already won Stage 6 — launched a gutsy late attack and outsprinted none other than Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) on the iconic motor racing circuit in Imola to claim her second stage win of the week. “It’s a bit unreal,” Lippert said after the finish. “Our sport is like a rollercoaster, and everyone has to keep that in mind and always look for better times. They will come.”
A race of shifting momentum
The Giro d’Italia Women is never a predictable race, and this year was no exception. Momentum shifted almost daily as different riders took their turn in the spotlight. From early breakaways to mountain duels and GC surprises, each stage felt like its own story within the larger narrative.
For much of the week, the pink jersey traded hands between Reusser and Longo Borghini, with both riders showing strength and strategy in equal measure. Reusser held the lead going into Stage 7, the queen stage up Monte Nerone, but it was there that Longo Borghini made her decisive move, launching a well-timed attack that ultimately sealed the overall victory.
“It was one of those days where everything clicked,” she said post-race. “I knew I had to take a risk, and I had the team around me to make it happen.”
Stage 7 also belonged to Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal), who rode away solo for her second stage win of the Giro. The Aussie’s performance not only earned her the blue mountain jersey but secured her a spot on the final GC podium. “Beyond my wildest dreams,” Gigante said, summing up a week that saw her emerge as one of the breakout stars of the race.
The final stage: Tactical chess to full-throttle sprint
Stage 8, from Forlì to Imola, packed a punch with four ascents of the Cima Gallisterna and a finish inside the iconic Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit — the same course used in the 2020 World Championships.
The early part of the day was animated by solo breaks and bold moves. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) went off the front to secure her green jersey in the points classification, joined eventually by Sara Casasola and Léa Curinier. The trio worked together until the gradients wore them down, with riders like Amanda Spratt and Mikayla Harvey briefly bridging the gap before being reeled back in.
As the peloton began to splinter on the climbs, UAE Team ADQ worked tirelessly to protect Longo Borghini’s GC lead. Meanwhile, a flurry of attacks from Smulders, Holmgren, De Schepper, and eventually Van der Breggen kept the pace relentless.
Then came the decisive moment: with less than 3km to go, Van der Breggen attacked on a descent, and Lippert immediately followed. Reusser — ever the teammate — looked across, saw Lippert on Van der Breggen’s wheel, and sat up to let them go. From there, the duo powered into the final kilometre, where Lippert launched her sprint with 150 meters to go and never looked back.
Behind them, the chase group fought for the remaining top-10 spots. Reusser crossed just ahead of Longo Borghini and Muzic, sealing her second place on GC. Gigante held firm in third, wrapping up a stellar week for AG Insurance-Soudal, which also won the team classification.
A worthy podium
The final general classification podium of Longo Borghini, Reusser, and Gigante perfectly encapsulated the range of stories in this year’s Giro.
For Longo Borghini, it was a home victory, yes — but also a testament to grit, consistency, and experience. “To win the Giro once is amazing, but to do it twice — and in this way — I’m speechless,” she said, visibly emotional on the final podium.
Reusser, despite losing the pink jersey on Stage 7, showed the depth of her racing character. She sacrificed her own chances on the final stage to help Lippert win — a gesture of team-first spirit rarely seen with such clarity. “It was also great to see the whole team was on fire,” Lippert said. “Marlen was riding for me, and I had the confidence to finish it off.”
And then there’s Gigante, whose journey to the podium was anything but straightforward. After battling injuries and setbacks over the last year, she came into the Giro without big expectations. Two stage wins, the mountains classification, and a third place overall later, she’s leaving Italy as a rising force in the peloton. “You just have to dare,” she said after her Stage 7 win. “The tough times make the good ones even sweeter.”
Race on point
While the Tour de France often takes the spotlight, the Giro d’Italia Women continues to carve out its place as a dramatic and emotional race. The routes are brutal. The racing is aggressive. And the riders? They’re all-in from kilometre one.
This year’s edition gave us everything we could ask for: career comebacks, team tactics, solo breakaways, and close finishes. And as the dust settles, fans are already looking ahead to what these performances might mean for the Tour de France Femmes later this month.
For riders like Longo Borghini, Lippert, and Gigante, the Giro has set the stage. Confidence is high, legs are strong, and momentum is on their side.
