Demi Vollering wins atop Colle delle Finestre on shortened Giro d’Italia Women queen stage

Demi Vollering claimed victory on the shortened queen stage of the Giro d’Italia Women, out-sprinting key rivals atop the Colle delle Finestre. Despite her stage win, Vollering was unable to wrest the pink jersey from Anna van der Breggen, who maintains a 50-second overall lead heading into the final day. The stage was dramatically altered due to safety concerns, with organisers cutting the route short to avoid an avalanche risk caused by unstable ice near the summit. The original plan included a challenging descent from the Finestre and a final climb to Sestriere, but these sections were removed late in the race. Riders had already tackled the gravel climb when the decision was made, highlighting the unpredictable nature of mountain racing. Paolo Bellino, CEO of RCS Sport, emphasised that rider safety was paramount, explaining that rising temperatures had increased the danger of falling ice, forcing the organisers to act decisively despite their hopes for a marquee stage. Vollering’s sprint was closely matched by Isabella Holmgren, whose mountain biking background gave her an edge on the loose gravel finish. Antonia Niedermaier and van der Breggen followed closely, preserving the general classification order. With only one stage remaining, which features fewer climbs and a flat finish in Saluzzo, Vollering faces a tough challenge to overturn van der Breggen’s lead and claim her first Giro title. The stage also saw significant shifts further down the leaderboard, with Femke de Vries moving up two places to sixth overall, while former contenders Elisa Longo Borghini and Niamh Fisher-Black dropped out of the top ten. The race remains finely balanced, with the final stage poised to deliver a dramatic conclusion to this year’s Giro d’Italia Women.