Giro Women 2026: Vollering wins four-up sprint, Van der Breggen retains pink

fotobureau Cor VosIn the first mountain stage of the Giro d’Italia Women, Anna van der Breggen, Demi Vollering, Antonia Niedermaier and Isabella Holmgren emerge as the strongest climbers. The finish is in the valley, where Demi Vollering takes the sprint win, while Anna van der Breggen crosses the line in second to retain the pink jersey. (Slideshow route/profile)

Stage 5 Results – 2026 Giro d'Italia Women

1. Demi Vollering (nld) 4:23:47
2. Anna van der Breggen (nld) s.t.
3. Antonia Niedermaier (ger) s.t.
4. Isabella Holmgren (can) + 0:02
5. Elisa Longo Borghini (ita) + 0:15
6. Niamh Fisher-Black (nzl) s.t.
7. Marlen Reusser (swi) + 0:53
8. Magdeleine Vallieres (can) s.t.
9. Femke de Vries (nld) s.t.
10. Lore De Schepper (bel) + 0:56

GC after stage 5

1. Anna van der Breggen (nld)
2. Demi Vollering (nld) + 1:00
3. Antonia Niedermaier (ger) + 1:24
4. Isabella Holmgren (can) + 2:01
5. Marlen Reusser (swi) + 2:03
6. Elisa Longo Borghini (ita) + 2:12
7. Niamh Fisher-Black (nzl) + 2:33
8. Femke de Vries (nld) + 2:38
9. Monica Trinca Colonel (ita) + 3:21
10. Urska Zigart (slo) + 3:26

Race report
As the riders approach the Passo Tre Croci, a massive breakaway group goes clear, with none of the contenders for the overall victory represented. That said, Marion Bunel is up the road, though she already trails significantly in the GC. The breakaway crests the Tre Croci over 4 minutes ahead of the peloton.

On the Passo di Sant'Antonio, the breakaway's lead has been reduced to 2 minutes and 30 seconds when Marlen Reusser launches an attack. Demi Vollering immediately follows her move, while a group containing Anna van der Breggen and Elisa Longo Borghini bridges across shortly afterwards.

At the summit, only Lauren Dickson, Nadia Gontova, Valentina Cavallar and Marion Bunel remain out front, before Mireia Benito rejoins them on the descent. The writing is already on the wall for the breakaway, though, as the GC group is already close behind on the climb to Costa. Monica Trinca Colonel seizes the opportunity to jump across the the front.

The Ilian rider is a harbinger of what is to come, as in the final 1.5 kilometres to the summit, Demi Vollering, Antonia Niedermaier, Isabelle Holmgren and Anna van der Breggen also come to the fore. Elisa Longo Borghini reaches the summit 17 seconds later, while Marlen Reusser is by then already 40 seconds behind.

Longo Borghini the first rider to regains contact on descent and Trinca Colonel does the opposite: she attacks. While several riders, including Marlen Reusser, rejoin the Van der Breggen group, the Italian rides out to a 40-second lead.

Barely on the final climb, Vollering launches an attack, with Van der Breggen, Niedermaier and Holmgren on her wheel. They catch Trinca Colonel and Vollering takes 6 bonus seconds at the intermediate sprint, simply because she sets the pace. Later, Anna van der Breggen takes over at the front, and they open up a 42-second gap on the first chasers, Elisa Longo Borghini and Niamh Fisher-Black.

Anna van der Breggen puts the others under pressure on the descent, but she can't get away, and the first mountain stage of the Giro d’Italia Women comes down to a four-up sprint. Vollering takes it in commanding fashion, with Van der Breggen finishing second and strengthening her position in the fight for overall victory. Vollering does gain 4 seconds, but the pick jersey pulls clear of the rest of her rivals.

Another interesting read: route 5th stage 2026 Giro d'Italia Women.