European champion Demi Vollering completed the full set of Grand Tours on Sunday as she claimed the women's Giro d'Italia after overnight leader Anna van der Breggen cracked on the race's final climb.
Following her victories at the Tour de France Femmes in 2023 and the women's Vuelta a Espana in 2024 and 2025, Dutch rider Vollering became only the second woman after compatriot Annemiek van Vleuten to win all three Grand Tours.
Vollering said she had dared "to lose" in her race tactics, forcing Van der Breggen to work hard to chase down Germany's Antonia Niedermaier, who started the day third overall and was part of a three-woman breakaway that had built up enough of a lead to put her in the virtual pink jersey.
"It feels so surreal," said Vollering, who began the day 49 seconds behind Van der Breggen but dropped her rival on the final climb with around 38km remaining and then soloed up to the leading trio.
"Today was all about daring to lose. I let Antonia go away, and I told Anna, 'I'm fine, second or third doesn't matter to me, it's up to you now'.
"And then I had to try to drop her somewhere, and I really went all-in on that last climb. It was still so long to the finish, but I did it, and I still can't believe it."
Italian Elisa Longo Borghini won the 145km-long ninth and final stage around Saluzzo in the Piedmont region, pipping Niamh Fisher-Black in the sprint to the line.
Niedermaier came third to move up to second overall, with Vollering fourth.
Van der Breggen was sixth, more than two minutes behind the winner, dropping to third overall.
It was the second time this year that she had lost a Grand Tour on the final stage after Spain's Paula Blasi overhauled her at the Vuelta last month.
Van der Breggen, 36, had been aiming to match the record of Italian Fabiana Luperini as she sought a fifth Giro success.
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