After Friday's heavy rain forced the cancellation of the opening time trial, the peloton was spared the worst weather today. The riders covered 102 kilometres between Bagno a Ripoli and Marradi, with the climb of the Passo della Colla as the highlight. After several attacks, the peloton entered the final climb.

Soon after, the better climbers created a tempo shift in the peloton. Van Empel was among a tiny group of favourites that separated from the chasing pack. The young Dutch cyclist ultimately fell just short of a top-ten finish.

Sports director Carmen Small: "The girls rode like a team today. They were always well positioned in the peloton, so Fem and Noemi (Rüegg) were perfectly dropped at the foot of the Passo della Colla. Fem rode an excellent climb. Since this is her first major tour, we purposefully didn't place too much stress on her shoulders. I am delighted with her performance.”

Sunday's flat stage will provide opportunities for the sprinters. "We're looking forward to tomorrow's stage. We have a decent chance of winning the stage with Marianne (Vos)”, Small said.