{"id":247158,"date":"2026-06-07T17:35:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-07T17:35:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/07\/its-sad-to-lose-it-but-i-fought-with-what-i-could-another-grand-tour-slips-away-for-anna-van-der-breggen-on-final-stage-as-shes-unable-to-match-vollering-at-giro-ditalia-women\/"},"modified":"2026-06-07T17:35:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T17:35:12","slug":"its-sad-to-lose-it-but-i-fought-with-what-i-could-another-grand-tour-slips-away-for-anna-van-der-breggen-on-final-stage-as-shes-unable-to-match-vollering-at-giro-ditalia-women","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/07\/its-sad-to-lose-it-but-i-fought-with-what-i-could-another-grand-tour-slips-away-for-anna-van-der-breggen-on-final-stage-as-shes-unable-to-match-vollering-at-giro-ditalia-women\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;It\u2019s sad to lose it, but I fought with what I could&#8217; \u2013 Another Grand Tour slips away for Anna van der Breggen on final stage as she&#8217;s unable to match Vollering at Giro d&#8217;Italia Women"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p id=\"elk-1a621de9-d134-4320-830f-518d32036cbc\">For the second time this season, <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/anna-van-der-breggen\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/anna-van-der-breggen\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/anna-van-der-breggen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Anna van der Breggen<\/a> (SD Worx Protime) has had to endure heartbreak on the final stage of a Grand Tour. This time she saw former teammate Demi Vollering ride away and the pink jersey slip away on a <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/womens-cycling\/giro-d-italia-women-demi-vollering-overtakes-anna-van-der-bregen-on-final-day-for-overall-title-as-elisa-longo-borghini-wins-stage-9-sprint\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/womens-cycling\/giro-d-italia-women-demi-vollering-overtakes-anna-van-der-bregen-on-final-day-for-overall-title-as-elisa-longo-borghini-wins-stage-9-sprint\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/womens-cycling\/giro-d-italia-women-demi-vollering-overtakes-anna-van-der-bregen-on-final-day-for-overall-title-as-elisa-longo-borghini-wins-stage-9-sprint\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">dramatic final stage<\/a> of the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/giro-d-italia-women\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/giro-d-italia-women\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/giro-d-italia-women\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Giro d&#8217;Italia Women<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike the<a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/womens-cycling\/in-the-end-i-just-came-up-short-anna-van-der-breggen-loses-la-vuelta-femenina-in-final-4km-on-frustrating-angliru\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/womens-cycling\/in-the-end-i-just-came-up-short-anna-van-der-breggen-loses-la-vuelta-femenina-in-final-4km-on-frustrating-angliru\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/womens-cycling\/in-the-end-i-just-came-up-short-anna-van-der-breggen-loses-la-vuelta-femenina-in-final-4km-on-frustrating-angliru\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> La Vuelta Femenina in May<\/a>, where Paula Blasi overhauled an 18-second gap to snatch red from Van der Breggen on the final day to L&#8217;Angliru, she entered the last day in Italy with 50 seconds to defend from Vollering in second.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-seasonal\"\/><\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-root\"\/>\n<p id=\"elk-1a621de9-d134-4320-830f-518d32036cbc-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But with an up-and-down route to contend with, Vollering&#8217;s FDJ United-SUEZ team went for broke, lighting up the action early on the 145km stage. The next key attack didn&#8217;t come from her Dutch compatriot, though, but from third-place on GC Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM), which Van der Breggen didn&#8217;t follow.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-6 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[10px] lg:my-8\" data-component-name=\"JwPlayer:Carousel\" data-jwp-carousel=\"\" data-jwp-carousel-payload=\"{&quot;ids&quot;:{&quot;playerID&quot;:&quot;jYDCcabO&quot;,&quot;searchPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;divID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;fallbackPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;fallbackDivID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;key&quot;:&quot;X9\\\/mXVGac0NphghLH9hZaqWA5d3dhAM\\\/Ih07grnEyMLjuO2E&quot;,&quot;tintLogo&quot;:true,&quot;useSearchPlaylist&quot;:false,&quot;enabled&quot;:true},&quot;signPostingEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;signPostingLinkEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;waitForAdLoad&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnDesktop&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnMobile&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnTablet&quot;:false}\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-nowrap items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-header=\"\">\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 shrink items-center\"><span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-article-heading capitalize leading-5 text-white whitespace-nowrap\"><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-mobile\"\/><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-desktop\">Latest Videos From<\/span><span class=\"jwp-carousel-brand inline-flex items-center\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"aspect-video w-full min-h-[200px] lg:min-h-[330px] relative overflow-hidden bg-black\" data-jwp-carousel-container=\"\">\n<div class=\"absolute inset-0 size-full items-center justify-center bg-white\" data-jwp-carousel-fallback=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/gmvwmhupgi1715762145.svg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/gmvwmhupgi1715762145.svg\" class=\"rounded-[var(--image--border-radius,0)] max-h-12 w-auto\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">As a small group went up the road, the SD Worx-Protime rider stayed alongside <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/demi-vollering\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/demi-vollering\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/demi-vollering\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vollering<\/a> in a smaller group, with Lauren Dickson doing pacing for her FDJ leader for the final 70km. There were mind games and tactics, but eventually the big attack from Vollering came with 39km to go up the last climb, the Colletta di Brondello.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Unlike in previous days, when she&#8217;s lacked the legs to distance Van der Breggen, a repeated acceleration out of two steep corners saw Vollering get the gap, before powering across to the lead group where she eventually took back 2:33. With such a large gap to the leading group, Niedermaier also overtook her to finish second overall, with Van der Breggen dropping to the final podium spot.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold&#10;        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;They attacked, so I cannot follow every attack. Also, the legs today were a little bit less, so I needed to choose,&#8221; said Van der Breggen to <em>Eurosport<\/em> as she explained the moment Niedermaier went, which was before the broadcast started.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Then I ended up with Demi, which was good if we worked together, but Demi wasn\u2019t pulling; only her teammate [Dickson] was. So I knew that she would attack on the climb, I tried to follow, and today she was stronger in the end.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-z4At4TYygZhEqcJumTUt95\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-z4At4TYygZhEqcJumTUt95 slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I did everything I could today, it was also a bit expected like this, so it\u2019s sad to lose it here, but I think, actually, I fought with what I could today, that\u2019s it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Gracious as ever in defeat, Van der Breggen could only accept defeat at the finish as she had done on the road, forced into certain tactics as she was isolated with no teammates for much of the second half of stage 9.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Even though this meant she allowed Niedermaier to briefly go into the virtual lead of the race as she was up the road in a break, it was worth making Dickson do all of the work and then trying to pace the final climb as she did to give her the best chance of following Vollering. She had no regrets about how she played it; it just wasn&#8217;t enough on the day.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold&#10;        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;They said if Demi&#8217;s teammate is working, then Demi should not work, but if I work and Demi does not, then for sure I\u2019m not going to win it because I&#8217;d start the climb already a lot less,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;So in the end, she did some pulls, but it was not really pulling. So, for me, I\u2019m alone, I need to make a decision, and I lose anyway if I really pull a lot.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I could also feel in my legs if I were to do it, then I could not follow. It is how it is, I tried, and I kept the pace in it, but it was not enough.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\" id=\"elk-07df3532-7e2d-47e0-9c18-85e973824c6e\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:4500px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:66.67%;\"> <picture data-new-v2-image=\"true\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZzjyoE5LCtJuzpQAzaD6tn-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZzjyoE5LCtJuzpQAzaD6tn-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZzjyoE5LCtJuzpQAzaD6tn-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZzjyoE5LCtJuzpQAzaD6tn-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZzjyoE5LCtJuzpQAzaD6tn-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZzjyoE5LCtJuzpQAzaD6tn-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"FDJ SUEZ Dutch rider Demi Vollering (C\/L) wearing the overall leader&amp;#039;s pink jersey and winner of the Giro d&amp;#039;Italia Women 2026 - Tour of Italy cycling race embraces second placed SD Worx Dutch rider Anna Van Der Breggen after the 9th stage of the Giro d&amp;#039;Italia Women 2026 - Tour of Italy Women cycling race between Saluzzo and Saluzzo, Italy, on June 7, 2026. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO \/ AFP via Getty Images)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZzjyoE5LCtJuzpQAzaD6tn-1200-80.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZzjyoE5LCtJuzpQAzaD6tn-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZzjyoE5LCtJuzpQAzaD6tn-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZzjyoE5LCtJuzpQAzaD6tn-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZzjyoE5LCtJuzpQAzaD6tn-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZzjyoE5LCtJuzpQAzaD6tn-320-80.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZzjyoE5LCtJuzpQAzaD6tn.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ZzjyoE5LCtJuzpQAzaD6tn.jpg\" class=\"rounded-[var(--image--border-radius,0)] inline\"\/>\n<\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Van der Breggen and Vollering embrace on the final podium <\/span><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-aa0bb3a5-97f6-4b6b-b226-1deffff46e2c\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Van der Breggen also didn&#8217;t make any excuses after the interviewer referred to her heavy crash from the end of stage 7, saying she felt back pain, but not as a result of this, and that it wasn&#8217;t the reason she fell short of victory.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;No, I don&#8217;t think [the crash was the reason for my <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/tag\/performance\/\" data-auto-tag-linker=\"true\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/tag\/performance\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/tag\/performance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">performance<\/a>], it was also a hard week, of course, the crash is doing something, but it was also a really hard day today,&#8221; said Van der Breggen. &#8220;I had some back pain, but I think it\u2019s not why I don\u2019t win it, it\u2019s just I wasn\u2019t strong enough today, that\u2019s how it is.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Disappointed, of course, but four-time Giro champion Van der Breggen still had a smile on her face as she gave a detailed debrief of the stage. One of the most headstrong riders in the bunch, this was still a successful week for the Dutch rider, who only came out of a three-year retirement last season.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;It was already a lot more than expected this week, so actually I\u2019m still really proud, I was there with the fight, and I know I can do it, and I think there are some points that I can improve,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I\u2019m ready that it\u2019s finished now. It was a hard week, so of course I&#8217;m disappointed. I really wanted to win this jersey, but for sure I\u2019m really proud of the team for what we achieved this week and also the fight I had today.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-3d3fa2a3-7a82-4a81-9779-0630c606e83a\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><strong>Subscribe to <\/strong><em><strong>Cyclingnews<\/strong><\/em><strong> for unlimited access to our Giro d&#8217;Italia Women coverage. Don&#8217;t miss any of the breaking news, reports, and analysis from one of the biggest women&#8217;s stage races of the season. <\/strong><a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=GirW26\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=GirW26\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=GirW26\" rel=\"noopener\"><u><strong>Find out more.<\/strong><\/u><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/womens-cycling\/its-sad-to-lose-it-but-i-fought-with-what-i-could-another-grand-tour-slips-away-for-anna-van-der-breggen-on-final-stage-as-shes-unable-to-match-vollering-at-giro-d-italia-women\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For the second time this season, Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx Protime) has had to endure heartbreak on the final stage of a Grand Tour. This time she saw former teammate Demi Vollering ride away and the pink jersey slip away on a dramatic final stage of the Giro d&#8217;Italia Women. Unlike the La [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":247159,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6804],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-247158","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/247158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=247158"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/247158\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/247159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=247158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=247158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=247158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}