‘Sometimes, you just have to dare’ – Elisa Longo Borghini uses late strike on queen stage to secure pink jersey at Giro d’Italia Women

On the penultimate stage of the Giro d’Italia Women, Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) could finally exchange her Italian champion’s jersey for the only jersey that was even dearer to her – the maglia rosa of the Giro’s overall leader.

She attacked with her teammate Silvia Persico on a descent ahead of the finishing climb up the Monte Nerone, taking a margin of almost a minute ahead of the peloton at one point. Longo Borghini saw that lead erased when eventual stage winner Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal) caught and passed her near the top of the 14.8km ascent.