Giro d'Italia Women leader Anna van der Breggen among multiple fallers in a mass crash on stage 7

Giro d’Italia Women leader Anna van der Breggen was involved in a significant crash during stage 7, which could complicate her defence of the maglia rosa. The Dutch rider, along with all four of her SD Worx-Protime teammates, was caught in a mass pile-up with 56 kilometres remaining. Despite the incident, Van der Breggen managed to remount and rejoin the peloton without losing time on her general classification rivals, though the full impact of the crash may only become evident during the demanding queen stage 8. The crash occurred on a right-hand curve when riders ahead braked suddenly, causing a domino effect that was impossible to avoid. Several other top contenders were also caught up in the pile-up, including fifth-placed Marlen Reusser and white jersey hopeful Lore De Schepper. While the peloton slowed to allow the affected riders to recover, Lidl-Trek took charge of the pace, helping Van der Breggen and her teammates close a gap of over two minutes. Van der Breggen spoke candidly about her condition after the crash, acknowledging some wounds but expressing cautious optimism about her ability to compete in the crucial mountain stage. She chose to skip the post-stage press conference to focus on recovery ahead of the 18.5-kilometre climb over the Colle delle Finestre and the final ascent to Sestriere, which will be decisive for the overall standings. The 36-year-old admitted she might feel stiffness but hoped her legs would hold firm during the arduous climbs. Despite the crash, the general classification remained largely unchanged, with Van der Breggen holding a one-minute lead over Demi Vollering and Antonia Niedermaier in third. Elisa Longo Borghini gained a few seconds with a late attack, but the overall hierarchy stayed intact. After her strong performance in the stage 4 mountain time trial, Van der Breggen had been in control of the race, but the incident on stage 7 suggests she may need to adopt a more reactive approach to her rivals’ moves in the coming stages. The queen stage promises to be a pivotal moment in the Giro d’Italia Women, with the challenging terrain likely to test Van der Breggen’s resilience following her crash. How she recovers overnight and manages the climbs will be crucial in determining whether she can maintain her lead or if the race dynamics shift dramatically. The cycling community will be watching closely as the race reaches its most demanding phase.