The third stage of the Giro d’Italia took the peloton from Bibione to Buja. After a relatively flat opening section, two categorized climbs awaited the riders in the second half of the stage. An early breakaway of six riders, including Veenhoven, animated the opening hours of the race. 

“I enjoyed my time out front,” Veenhoven said afterward. “This was the only way to try and survive the climbs in the finale. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out, but I’m happy that I gave it a shot. In any case, my legs felt better than they did over the past few days. I’m looking forward to the rest of this Giro.” 

Veenhoven’s breakaway was caught just over 20 kilometers from the finish. At the foot of the Montenars, the final climb of the day, the last remaining escapees were reeled in by the peloton. On the Montenars, FDJ-SUEZ increased the pace. An elite group of six riders, including De Vries, was able to follow an attack by Demi Vollering. In the kilometers that followed, cooperation at the front was limited, allowing a larger group to rejoin. 

In the closing stages, the riders prepared for another bunch sprint. A late attack by Sigrid Haugset was neutralized in the final meters. In the sprint, Elisa Balsamo once again proved to be the fastest. The wearer of the pink jersey celebrated another victory. The riders of Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women were unable to contest the stage win. 

De Vries looked back on her performance with satisfaction: “The pace on the Moruzzo wasn’t particularly high, so that climb went smoothly. On the Montenars, the pace was extremely hard. At first, I rode at my own pace, but I felt strong and was able to follow the favorites. After that, the pace dropped considerably. There was a lot of hesitation and riders were watching each other, which allowed the chasers to come back quickly. This stage has given me a lot of confidence. I was able to match the general classification favorites. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s time trial."