As it happened: A late breakaway hold off the sprinters' team to take stage 7 at the Giro d'Italia Women

Célia Gery emerged victorious in a dramatic stage 7 of the 2026 Giro d'Italia Women, successfully holding off the chasing sprinters' teams to claim the win. The 159km stage, which featured rolling terrain and a late climb in the Ligurian Apennines, set the scene for a tactical battle between breakaway riders and the peloton. Despite the sprinters’ teams’ efforts to control the race, the late breakaway managed to maintain their advantage, culminating in Gery’s decisive move near the finish line in Salice Terme. The stage unfolded with several early breakaway attempts, including a leading group of five riders—Chantal Pegolo, Marjolein Van't Geloof, Alison Jackson, Sara Luccon, and Gaia Segato—who gained a significant gap on the peloton. These riders, many of whom had been active in previous stages, worked cohesively to stay ahead, while various chasers and teams attempted to bridge across without success. The peloton, led by sprinters’ teams such as Lidl-Trek, faced a challenging route with crosswinds and a late climb that disrupted their rhythm and made a bunch sprint uncertain. Notable sprinters like Elisa Balsamo, who had dominated earlier sprint stages, and Canadian Maggie Coles-Lyster, who was eager to improve on her recent runner-up finish, were unable to reel in the breakaway. The stage’s complexity and the tactical savvy of the breakaway riders ultimately thwarted the sprinters’ ambitions. Elisa Longo Borghini also animated the race with an attack aimed at gaining time, highlighting the competitive intensity as the race approaches its climax. This stage win for Gery and the success of the breakaway underscore the unpredictable nature of the Giro d’Italia Women, where terrain and team tactics can overturn expectations. With the general classification gaps already significant, the race now shifts focus to upcoming stages that may favour climbers and all-rounders. Teams will need to reassess their strategies as the race moves closer to its conclusion, with opportunities for both breakaways and GC contenders still very much alive.