Giro d'Italia Women 2026 GC After Stage 5 — Van der Breggen Cements Her Lead As Vollering Becomes The Clear Challenger
The chaotic queen stage to Santo Stefano di Cadore did little to loosen Anna van der Breggen's grip on the 2026 Giro d'Italia Women. Despite a stage win for Demi Vollering, the maglia rosa marked every attack and finished alongside her rival, ensuring the general classification at the top remains broadly unchanged — and firmly in the Dutchwoman's favour.
The real movement came behind. World time trial champion Marlen Reusser, who had sat second overall after the Nevegal test, lost close to a minute on the day's climbs and slipped back down the order. That reshuffle hands the role of principal challenger to Vollering, who used the stage win and its bonus seconds to nibble back a few precious moments while confirming herself as the strongest pure climber in the field.
Antonia Niedermaier of Canyon-SRAM continued her excellent Giro, riding into the lead group on the steepest slopes and holding her place near the top of the standings. Isabella Holmgren also impressed for Lidl-Trek, marking the move and consolidating her place inside the overall top group.
For Elisa Longo Borghini, the day was one of damage limitation. The Italian crossed the line around fifteen seconds behind the leaders after a committed solo chase, keeping her hopes of a high overall finish alive even if the podium now looks a stretch given Van der Breggen's commanding buffer.
The headline of the classification remains the gap at the summit. SD Worx-Protime's leader carries a lead of well over a minute on her nearest genuine rival heading into the closing stages, the legacy of a Nevegal time trial that bordered on the surreal. Vollering's stage win was a statement of intent, but on the evidence of two consecutive mountain days she has yet to find a way to drop a rider who appears to have rediscovered her very best form.
With the race entering its decisive phase, Vollering and her FDJ-SUEZ team must gamble. Sitting on Van der Breggen's wheel will not be enough; only an ambush from distance, or a rare off-day from the leader, looks likely to overturn the deficit. For now, the pink jersey belongs to the comeback queen — and she is defending it like a champion.