Celia Gery of FDJ upset the odds at the women's Giro d'Italia on Friday to win stage seven as a breakaway group held off the sprinters' teams.
Overall leader Anna van der Breggen was part of a mass crash around 55km from the end of the 159km stage from Sorbolo Mezzani to Salice Terme, but recovered to maintain her one minute lead over European champion Demi Vollering, with Antonia Niedermaier of Germany in third at 1min 24sec.
French rider Gery, 20, was part of a six-rider group that managed to hold off the fast-finishing peloton and deny sprint queen Elisa Balsamo a shot at a fifth stage victory.
🔻 The gap, the chase, the finish line getting closer. One last minute of pure adrenaline. ⚡️
— Giro d'Italia Women (@girowomen) June 5, 2026
🔻 Il vantaggio, l’inseguimento, il traguardo che si avvicina. Un ultimo minuto di pura adrenalina. ⚡️
⏪ The @continentaltire Ultimo Kilometro#GirodItaliaWomen #WonderfulWomen #wow pic.twitter.com/ESPHOIpvUh
"It was a bit strange to be there but I was, so I just kept a cool head and went for it," she said at the line.
Balsamo's teammate Lucinda Brand took second with teenager Chantal Pegolo third, while the peloton finished eight seconds back.
Reigning two-time champion Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy was part of the six-woman group as she tried to gain time on the riders above her but she remains sixth overall, although now just six seconds off fourth.
Switzerland's Marlen Reusser, the world timetrial champion, saw her nightmare Giro continue as she crashed twice after she was caught and delayed in crosswinds on stage six and was dropped in the mountains on stage five.
She is fifth overall, just over two minutes back.
This was the longest stage on the 2026 route but Saturday's is the highest as it takes the peloton to 2,180m altitude up the Colle de Finistere before a summit finish at Sestriere.