Demi Vollering and compatriot Annemiek van Vleuten are the only female riders to have completed the Grand Tour trilogy
ByBen CollinsBBC Sport journalist- Published5 minutes ago
Dutch rider Demi Vollering won her first Giro d'Italia after usurping race leader Anna van der Breggen during a thrilling final stage on Sunday.
Four-time champion Van der Breggen has led since stage four of this year's race and the 36-year-old went into the ninth stage with a 49-second lead over compatriot Vollering.
The 29-year-old was aiming to become just the second female rider to complete the Grand Tour trilogy and launched several attacks on the 145km route around Saluzzo at the foot of the Alps.
Antonia Niedermaier became the virtual leader, attacking with 80km to go, with Elisa Longo Borghini and Niamh Fisher-Black joining her to form a breakaway group.
But Vollering then dropped Van der Breggen with 39km remaining on the Colletta di Brondello, the final climb of the race, and reached the lead group 28km from the finish.
The FDJ-Suez rider did not challenge for the stage win in the sprint finish having already secured the maglia rosa (pink jersey) so Longo Borghini, who won the past two Giros, edged out New Zealand's Fisher-Black for the Italian's first stage win of this year's race.
Vollering finished 30 seconds ahead of Niedermaier in the overall standings, with Van der Breggen a further minute behind, to add the Giro to her La Vuelta Femenina wins of 2024 and 2025, and her Tour de France triumph in 2023.
"I gave it my all on the final climb - it was the time trial of my life," said Vollering.
"I had to be ready to take risks, even if it meant losing everything. I did it, we did it. I can hardly believe it."
Stage nine results
Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita/UAE ADQ) +3hr 45min 9sec
Niamh Fisher-Black (NZ/Lidl-Trek) Same time
Antonia Niedermaier (Ger/Canyon-Sram Zondacrypto) +2sec
Demi Vollering (Ned/FDJ–Suez) +3sec
Femke de Vries (Ned/Visma-Lease a Bike) +2min 23sec
Anna van der Breggen (Ned/SD Worx–Protime) Same time
Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset (Nor/Uno-X Mobility) +5min 59sec
Lauren Dickson (GB/FDJ–Suez) Same time
Isabella Holmgren (Can/Lidl-Trek) +6min 1sec
Magdeleine Vallieres (Can/EF Education-Oatly) Same time
Final general classification
Demi Vollering (Ned/FDJ–Suez) 29hr 54min 19sec
Antonia Niedermaier (Ger/Canyon-Sram Zondacrypto) +30sec
Anna van der Breggen (Ned/SD Worx–Protime) +1min 37sec
Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita/UAE ADQ) +2min 44sec
Niamh Fisher-Black (NZ/Lidl-Trek) +3min 26sec
Femke de Vries (Ned/Visma-Lease a Bike) +5min 7sec
Isabella Holmgren (Can/Lidl-Trek) +7min 10sec
Urska Zigart (Slo/AG Insurance-Soudal) +12min 39sec
Valentina Cavaller (Aut/SD Worx–Protime) +13min 12sec
Lore de Schepper (Bel/AG Insurance-Soudal) +13min 29sec