2026 Giro d'Italia Women Stage 9 Results & Recap
Stage 9 of the 2026 Giro d'Italia Women is in the books. The final results and standings are below, followed by our recap of how the race unfolded.
Race Recap
Longo Borghini wins stage, Vollering seals Giro crown
The 2026 edition of the women's Giro d'Italia came to a nail-biting conclusion in Saluzzo with Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) sprinting to victory, and Demi Vollering (FDJ United-SUEZ) completing a stunning comeback to claim the Maglia Rosa and overall victory.
Starting the day 49 seconds behind race leader Anna van der Breggen (Team SD Worx-Protime), Vollering faced one final opportunity to overturn the deficit. The 145-kilometre stage around Saluzzo featured three classified climbs and more than 2,200 metres of elevation gain, ensuring there would be no easy route to the overall title. The action began almost immediately.
The first major climb of the day, the brutal Montoso, proved decisive. Liv AlUla Jayco and Uno-X Mobility animated the race before the ascent, but once the road tilted skyward, the general classification contenders took control. Team SD Worx-Protime initially set the pace, but the race exploded when Vollering launched an aggressive attack on the steep slopes.
Although the move was quickly covered, the acceleration shattered the peloton and created a select front group featuring the Giro's biggest contenders. Among those making the cut were Van der Breggen, Vollering, Elisa Longo Borghini, Antonia Niedermaier (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto), Isabella Holmgren (Lidl-Trek), Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek), Femke de Vries (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) and Lauren Dickson (FDJ United-SUEZ).
At the summit of Montoso, Vollering took maximum points in the mountains classification, but the bigger battle was unfolding behind the numbers. The constant attacks and relentless pace continued to whittle down the lead group as the race plunged into the descent.
Longo Borghini then took center stage. The Italian champion attacked the downhill sections with characteristic aggression, driving the pace through the technical corners and placing pressure on her rivals. Her efforts helped create further separation, and eventually a dangerous trio emerged at the front consisting of Longo Borghini, Niedermaier and Fisher-Black.
The move dramatically altered the general classification picture. As the gap grew, Niedermaier became the virtual race leader on the road, putting pressure on both Van der Breggen and Vollering. Behind them, the Maglia Rosa group struggled to organize an effective chase.
The race reached a critical point on the Colletta di Brondello, the final significant climb of the Giro. Longo Borghini, Niedermaier and Fisher-Black started the ascent with nearly two minutes in hand, while Vollering prepared her final assault.
The Dutchwoman attacked once again on the climb, immediately distancing Femke de Vries and eventually opening daylight on Van der Breggen. As she powered toward the front group, the virtual standings continued to shift. First, Niedermaier occupied the virtual lead, then Vollering began edging closer to taking over the Maglia Rosa.
With roughly 25 kilometres remaining, Vollering completed her bridge across to the leaders, creating a formidable four-rider group at the head of the race. The quartet worked efficiently together while Van der Breggen and De Vries chased behind, unable to close the gap.
As the riders entered the final kilometres into Saluzzo, it became clear that both the stage victory and the Giro title would be decided among the four leaders. Vollering spent much of the closing stages driving the pace, fully aware that every second mattered in the battle for pink.
Inside the final two kilometres, the attacks stopped and the tactical games began. Fisher-Black led the sprint into the final straight, but Longo Borghini found an opening at precisely the right moment. The Italian surged past on the right-hand side in the closing metres to secure an emotional stage victory on home roads. Fisher-Black crossed the line second, while Niedermaier claimed third.
Get our full coverage of the Giro d'Italia Women and every race we cover with our mobile app! The apps have over 100 additional exclusive features, including our award-winning Time Machine feature that lets you pause/rewind/replay the entire app to sync with delayed race video, integrated Fantasy Cycling, push notifications, an integrated news feed, live GPS tracking, world-class commentary, and our animated interactive maps and profiles.
