Two days after being awarded the pink jersey following Lorena Wiebes’ (SD Worx-ProTime) disqualification from the Giro d’Italia Women, Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) further consolidated her overall lead on stage 3 with another stage win.
GC action was lit up on the road from Bibione to Buja, with the top climbers coming to the fore on the Montenars climb, 22km from the finish.
The steep slopes saw several of the sprinters dropped by the overall race favourites, but things came back together on the flatter roads to the finish, with maglia rosa Balsamo the most important name to return.
With another sprint certain once the last attackers were caught, Balsamo delivered on her status as the race leader, beating Lily Williams (Human Powered Health) and Femke Gerritse (SD Worx-ProTime) to the line.
Lara Gillespie (UAE Team ADQ) and Chiara Consonni (Canyon-SRAM) started the day on the virtual podium, but they finished in a group 1:19 down on the leaders after getting dropped.
Replacing them in second and third overall are the US rider, Williams, who is 24 seconds back and two-time defending champion, Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE ADQ), who was fourth in the reduced sprint and now has a 30-second deficit.
Everyone from third to 32nd overall is on the same time as Longo Borghini, half a minute behind Balsamo. Two French riders sit in fourth and fifth, Margaux Vigié (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Célia Gery (FDJ United-SUEZ). Behind them come some of the big GC favourites: Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime), Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek), Silvia Persico (UAE ADQ), and Demi Vollering (FDJ-United SUEZ), with her teammate Lauren Dickson (FDJ United-SUEZ) completing the top 10.
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There are four main classifications with distinct jerseys at Giro d’Italia Women.
Pink leader’s jersey (maglia rosa) – worn by the rider leading the overall GC standings
Red points jersey (maglia rossa) – worn by the rider who has won the most points, which are available in intermediate sprints and at the finish line
Blue climber’s jersey (maglia azzurra) – worn by the rider who has won the most points available at the top of every classified climb
White young rider’s jersey (maglia bianca) – worn by the highest-ranked young rider under the age of 23
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