'I had to dare to lose it all' – How Demi Vollering snatched the pink jersey at last gasp on an epic Giro d'Italia Women finale

Demi Vollering secured the pink jersey in dramatic fashion on the final stage of the 2026 Giro d’Italia Women, overturning Anna van der Breggen’s lead after an epic battle on the climbs. Despite winning the penultimate stage on the Colle dell Finestre, Vollering had been unable to distance Van der Breggen, her former teammate and mentor, leaving her chances of overall victory hanging by a thread. The decisive moment came on the last day, where Vollering’s bold tactics and relentless perseverance enabled her to seize the maglia rosa in Saluzzo, completing a remarkable comeback. The final stage featured a challenging course with the toughest climbs early on, but it was Vollering’s strategic approach that made the difference. Supported by her FDJ United-SUEZ teammates, including British domestique Lauren Dickson, Vollering set a fierce pace and allowed a breakaway to form, forcing Van der Breggen to expend energy chasing. Vollering described her mindset as “daring to lose it all,” willingly risking her second place to provoke a response and create an opportunity to attack later in the race. Vollering’s decisive move came with 39 kilometres remaining on the Colletta di Brondello, where she launched repeated accelerations to break free from Van der Breggen and catch the leading group. Battling cramps and exhaustion, she worked closely with the breakaway riders to maintain her advantage and secure overall victory, crossing the line in fourth place but with the pink jersey firmly in her grasp. Her emotional reaction after the stage highlighted the significance of the achievement, placing her alongside Annemiek van Vleuten as one of the few women to have won all three Grand Tours. Looking ahead, Vollering’s focus will shift to the Tour de France Femmes, where she aims to claim victory after narrowly missing out in recent years. She acknowledged the rarity and difficulty of winning a Grand Tour, emphasising the importance of savouring this triumph before setting new goals. Vollering’s Giro success not only cements her status among the elite of women’s cycling but also serves as a testament to the resilience and tactical acumen required to prevail in the sport’s most demanding events.