Elisa Balsamo won her fourth sprint victory in four opportunities at the Giro d’Italia Women, finishing ahead of Maggie Coles-Lyster and Georgia Baker on stage six.
The Italian was launched by team-mate Lucinda Brand, overtaking Coles-Lyster with 50m to go after the Canadian started a bunch sprint to the finish.
Balsamo, who rides for Lidl-Trek, maintains a strong hold on the red points classification jersey in the nine-stage race.
“When you have the best leadout in the world, it’s just easy,” Balsamo said in her post-race interview.
“With Lucinda, everything is much easier because I don’t have to fight for position. I just need to trust her, and I know she’s the best one. It’s more on her than on me, honestly.”
In the general classification, Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen retains the overall leader’s pink jersey, ahead of compatriot Demi Vollering by a minute.
Racing on a mostly flat 159km stage from Ala to Brescello, Van der Breggen broke into the front group after large gusts of wind disrupted the peloton, but was pulled back in by the chasing pack.
Vollering, who is aiming to become only the second rider to win all three Grand Tours in women’s cycling, also pushed on during the intermediate sprint, but was ultimately caught up her rival.
On Friday, the race travels 165km from Sorbolo Mezzani to Salice Terme on a course that features a sole climb, before two weekend mountain stages conclude this year’s event.
Stage six results
1. Elisa Balsamo (Ita/Lidl-Trek) 3hrs 54mins 02secs
2. Maggie Coles-Lyster (Can/Human Powered Health) Same time
3. Georgia Baker (Aus/Liv AlUla Jayco) Same time
4. Celia Gery (Fra/FDJ United-Suez) Same time
5. Chiara Consonni (Ita/Canyon-SRAM) Same time
6. Gladys Verhulst-Wild (Fra/AG Insurance-Soudal) Same time
7. Lara Gillespie (Ire/UAE Team ADQ) Same time
8. Lily Williams (USA/Human Powered Health) Same time
9. Alessia Zambelli (Ita/Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) Same time
10. Alexandra Volstad (Can/EF Education-Oatly) Same time
General classification after stage six
1. Anna van der Breggen (Ned/SD Worx–Protime) 19hrs 49mins 15secs
2. Demi Vollering (Ned/FDJ United–Suez) +1min
3. Antonia Niedermaier (Ger/Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) +1mins 24secs
4. Isabella Holmgren (Can/Lidl-Trek) +2mins 01secs
5. Marlen Reusser (Swi/Movista) +2mins 03secs
6. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita/UAE ADQ) +2mins 12secs
7. Niamh Fisher-Black (NZ/Lidl-Trek) +2mins 33secs
8. Femke de Vries (Ned/Visma-Lease a Bike) +2mins 38secs
9. Monica Trinca Colonel (Ita/Liv AlUla Jayco) +3mins 21secs
10. Urska Zigart (Slo/AG Insurance-Soudal) +3mins 26secs
