Young French rider Celia Gery surged to victory on stage seven of the women’s Giro d’Italia.
Lucinda Brand led round the final corner but 20-year-old Gery came off her wheel and outsprinted the Dutch rider to claim her first stage win in the Giro.
The two were part of a six-rider breakway that managed to hold off the peloton, which finished eight seconds back.
“It was a bit strange to be there but I was, so I just kept a cool head and went for it,” said Gery.
Italy’s Chantal Pegolo was third on the 159km stage from Sorbolo Mezzani to Salice Terme, while British riders Millie Couzens and Josie Nelson were ninth and 10th.
Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen was involved in a crash with 55km to go but recovered to retain the overall lead of the race heading into the final two stages.
Van der Breggen leads compatriot Demi Vollering by a minute, with Germany’s Antonia Niedermaier one minute and 24 seconds off the lead.
The penultimate stage of the race on Saturday will be a 105km run from Rivoli to Sestriere.
It features the highest point of the race, with the riders facing the 2,180m Colle delle Finestre – scene of Giro-winning attacks by both Chris Froome and Simon Yates – before a summit finish at Sestriere.
