The 24 -year -old rider of AG Insurance – Soudal surprised her fellow flights with an attack a few kilometers below the top. The Italian Elisa Longo Borghini defeated the Swiss Marlen Reusser in the battle for second place.
Anna van der Breggen loses time
Reusser did recapture the pink leader’s jersey on the British Anna Henderson. Anna van der Breggen, who had started the ride fourth in the classification, lost a minute and a half on Reusser. Pauliena Rooijakkers was the best Dutch in fifth place. A completely flat ride will follow on Thursday.
From the foot of the final climb, the Movistar (Reusser) team took the lead. The Belgian Lotte Kopecky soon had to release, just like rosette lantern Henderson, while Van der Breggen also quickly got into trouble.
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Reusser accelerated with more than 9 kilometers to go and thus thinned the group further. Rooijakkers and Longo Borghini belonged to the riders who could accelerate. After Reusser had disappeared from the head, more riders could return, including Van der Breggen and Yara Kastelijn.
Van der Breggen put himself first, but had no answer when Reusser accelerated 3 kilometers below the top. Only Longo Borghini, Gigante and the German Antonia Niedermaier followed. Not much later, the Australian placed its surprise attack.
“I knew I was driving well, but winning a ride in the Giro is really special,” she said in the flash interview. Gigante was out for six months after an operation of a narrowing of her groin artery and after returning also had to deal with a shoulder injury. “I am grateful that the team has always continued to believe in me.”