Van der Breggen secures Giro d'Italia Women overall win

The Giro d'Italia Women concluded on Sunday, June 7, 2026, with a decisive mountain stage around Saluzzo, capping a dramatic nine-day race that saw Elisa Balsamo dominate the sprints and Anna van der Breggen defend the overall lead. The final stage featured the challenging Montoso climb, setting the scene for a tactical battle among the top general classification contenders.

Van der Breggen entered the final day wearing the leader's pink jersey, holding a one-minute advantage over her Dutch compatriot Demi Vollering. The narrow margins extended through the top four, with Germany's Antonia Niedermaier in third, 1 minute and 24 seconds behind, and Canada's Isabella Holmgren in fourth, just over two minutes back. This closeness ensured the stage was not ceremonial, with teams like Van der Breggen's SD Worx-Protime aiming to control the race and protect their leader from late attacks, particularly from Vollering.

The race had been punctuated by unexpected drama earlier in the week. During stage six, a flat stage from Ala to Brescello on June 4, crosswinds and tactical moves by the Uno-X Mobility team split the peloton, briefly putting several general classification riders, including...