Early in the race, a large breakaway group of sixteen riders formed, with Rosita Reijnhout representing Team Visma | Lease a Bike. The Dutch rider spent a long time at the front and was part of a strong move that managed to build a significant advantage.

On the slopes of the Colle delle Finestre, Femke de Vries benefited from strong support from her teammates. During the first part of the climb, Marion Bunel did valuable work to support De Vries for as long as possible. Once the group of favorites had caught up with the breakaway, Rosita Reijnhout was also able to make an important contribution in support of her teammate.

The race was then overshadowed by news of a landslide near the summit of the Finestre. Due to the risk of an unstable ice sheet falling onto the road, the race organizers decided to move the finish line to approximately one kilometer before the top of the climb for safety reasons.

Despite the chaotic circumstances, racing continued on the gravel roads of the Finestre. A select group of four riders raced toward the improvised finish. Demi Vollering timed her effort perfectly and sprinted to the stage victory. Meanwhile, De Vries produced a strong climb of her own and finished in fifth place.

After the stage, de Vries reflected on the hectic day. “It was really fast today. Daniek and Nienke positioned me perfectly at the foot of the Finestre, and I started the climb as the third rider. I felt comfortable in the group and stayed right on Anna van der Breggen’s wheel. When Demi made her move, it was just a little too fast for me.”

The uncertainty surrounding the finish line did not go unnoticed by the riders either. “It was very unclear where the finish actually was. I even asked when I crossed that tape, ‘This really is the finish, right?’”

Thanks to her strong performance in the queen stage, De Vries also gained ground in the general classification. The Dutch rider moves up to sixth overall and heads into the final stage of the Giro d’Italia Women from an excellent position.

The Giro d’Italia Women concludes tomorrow with its final stage. De Vries is already looking ahead with ambition: “We’re definitely going for a top five tomorrow. It will be a tricky finale, and you never know what can happen.”