The first winning breakaway of the Giro d’Italia Women rewarded the courage of Canadian Clara Emond, who at 27 years of age took her first career victory. Emond, who was part of a group of five riders, attacked on the ramps of the first GPM of the day, San Marino, with just over 50 km to go. The the chase group, which included big names as Kimberley (Le Court) Pienaar and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, didn’t react on time.

The FDJ – Suez rider attacked on the final climb to Urbino with Soraya Paladin, taking third place on the stage just behind the athlete from Treviso. At 1’08” came Elisa Longo Borghini, protagonist of an ecthic duel with Lotte Kopecky, while Labous (1’12”), Garcia, Fisher-Black and Niedermaier (1’15”) finished further back. In the general classification Longo Borghini still leads with 13″ on Kopecky while Ludwig moves on the provisional podium, 38″ behind the Maglia Rosa.

Speaking in the press conference, the stage winner Clara Emond, said: “Winning my first career race here at the Giro d’Italia is fantastic, I didn’t think I could do it so early, in my first participation. I started racing late, I moved to Europe to pursue my dream and this is the reward after years of sacrifices. It was a crazy stage, the whole team wanted to redeem an unhappy start to the Giro and we all tried to join the breakaway. When I attacked I feared it was too early but in the end it went well. I am proud of what I did”.

The Maglia Rosa Elisa Longo Borghini said: “It was a stage where I thought the breakaway might did it. I’m happy for Clara, it’s always nice to see when courage is rewarded. In the finale Lotte and I battled it out, almost like a rematch of the Strade Bianche, and I’m happy to have finished ahead of her. It doesn’t mean anything for the general classification but it gives morale”.