New Zealand joins the Giro d’Italia Women roll of honour thanks to Niamh Fisher-Black, who took advantage of Team SD Worx – Protime’s numerical superiority in Toano to claim her second win of the season. Fisher-Black answered an attack launched by Mavi Garcia with 2km to go.

The New Zealander counterattacked on the toughest part of the final climb, the last 1000 metres with double-digit gradients, leaving Garcia behind and winning by 6 seconds over a trio made up of her team-mate and new Maglia Rossa Lotte Kopecky, Juliette Labous, and the Maglia Rosa Elisa Longo Borghini.

In the general classification Kopecky (13″) and Labous (25″) moved up to second and third place respectively, with the top 5 completed by the Maglia Bianca Niedermayer (59″) and the winner of the day, and new Maglia Azzurra, Fisher-Black (1’00”).

Speaking in the press conference, the stage winner Niamh Fisher-Black, said: “It’s the most beautiful victory of my career! I arrived at the Giro in good shape, but surely a result like this also gives a positive boost to morale. In the finale, Lotte and I studied our opponents and decided it was my turn to anticipate. I seized the right moment and it went well. The Maglia Azzurra is a nice goal, but it is not my main objective. I like to aim high”.

The Maglia Rosa Elisa Longo Borghini said: “The stage went as I expected. It wasn’t an insane climb but the heat made it very tough. I was afraid of this stage because in stage races I always suffer on the third day but today everything went smoothly. Lotte Kopecky is going strong on all terrain but both Gaia Realini and I are doing very well and remain confident”.

The Maglia Rossa Lotte Kopecky said: “Today’s second place is much sweeter than yesterday’s. I am very happy for Niamh, because I have always encouraged her to believe in herself and I am convinced that this success will bring her into another dimension. As for me, I will continue to hunt a stage victory, there are many opportunities left until L’Aquila”.