The Giro d’Italia Women signed off with a stage that lived up to its billing – selective, aggressive, and full of movement – as the peloton tackled three laps of a punishing finishing circuit around Imola. It was Liane Lippert who emerged with her second stage win of the week, out-sprinting Anna van der Breggen after the pair attacked late from a reduced group. But behind the stage glory, all eyes were on Elisa Longo Borghini, who sealed her second consecutive Giro GC victory after a composed ride in the maglia rosa.
Break forms after early patience
Despite the stakes, the opening hour passed with relative calm. With just eight seconds separating the top two on GC before the queen stage, and still 22 seconds between Longo Borghini and Marlen Reusser at the start of the final day, it was clear the tension would build slowly.
Eventually, it was Lorena Wiebes who broke the deadlock. The European champion surged clear with over 100km still to ride and was soon joined by Sara Casasola and Léa Curinier. The trio eked out an advantage before being joined by Amanda Spratt and Mikayla Harvey. For a time, it looked like a solid move – five riders from five different teams, all motivated, and a peloton not yet in full pursuit.
But the profile of the finishing circuit, drawn around the hills and punchy ramps of the 2020 World Championship course, didn’t favour long-range attacks. There were three climbs per lap, including the Mazzolano and Cima Gallisterna, both just under 3km in length but with double-digit pitches.
Photo Credit: LaPresseWiebes dropped, Smulders takes over
Wiebes began to suffer as the climbs wore on, dropped first on Mazzolano, then scrambling back, only to be definitively distanced as the break fragmented on the penultimate ascent of Gallisterna. With the pace picking up behind, the peloton had halved in size, and teams with GC ambitions moved to the front.
The reshaped break saw Smulders bridge across with 40km remaining. She brought fresh legs and immediately pushed on, shedding her companions and going solo as the final lap began. For a while, it looked like the Liv AlUla Jayco rider might pull off a surprise. But the selection was happening behind.
Movistar took up the pace with Reusser tucked in, trying to keep the gap under control. Van der Breggen, riding her final Giro, was also well positioned. Sarah Gigante and Longo Borghini rode close to one another, keeping tabs on any surges. When the climb to Gallisterna came for the last time, the group thinned again. Smulders was caught just before the summit by a chasing pack of around ten riders, which included all the GC protagonists.
Final attacks in Imola
As the group wound its way back onto the Imola circuit for the final time, Van der Breggen made her move with just under 3km to go. It was a trademark late bid for stage glory. Lippert responded immediately, and the pair quickly carved out a gap. Behind, the effort to chase never really materialised, with riders marking each other and the podium placings effectively settled.
Lippert led into the final 300 metres, launching early and holding off Van der Breggen to take her second stage win of the race.
Afterwards, she reflected on the highs and lows of a week where Movistar narrowly missed out on overall victory. “Unfortunately, we lost the maglia rosa. Marlen was not feeling great, struggling with something, but we kept on fighting,” she said. “Today we went all in for the stage. It was great to see the team riding for me, and I had the confidence to finish it off, also to make Marlen happy again.”
Photo Credit: LaPresseLongo Borghini delivers again
The fight for pink, ultimately, never reignited. After a brutal effort to take the lead on Monte Nerone the day before, Longo Borghini was laser-focused on controlling the final stage. Her UAE Team ADQ squad kept things in check early on, and although she had expected a more aggressive approach from Reusser, the anticipated attacks never came.
“I was focused on Marlen. I thought she would attack on the last climb, but she didn’t move,” she admitted post-stage. “Van der Breggen and Lippert were no GC threat, so I could chill a bit. We were ready to respond.”
Behind that calm was the memory of the effort required to take pink in the first place. The penultimate stage had seen Longo Borghini launch a surprise move at the base of the Monte Nerone climb – one she hadn’t planned but capitalised on when she realised the peloton was hesitant.
She explained: “My coach believed in the move more than I did. Silvia Persico and I just wanted to control the descent, but we went a bit too fast and got a gap. I thought, let’s see what happens, and suddenly I had 40 seconds. I maybe went a bit too hard at the start of the climb, but sometimes you have to take the risk.”
The reward was clear. After pulling on pink that evening, she held it all the way to Imola, thanks in large part to her teammates’ work.
“I can’t thank them enough. We stayed humble every day. They never surrendered. It’s their jersey too,” she said. “This was eight days of full gas racing. We believed every single day.”
There was also humility in her victory speech. Longo Borghini reflected on a campaign built across training camps and team bonding as much as results. “We lived this Giro together, from the hours on the road to the good days and the bad ones,” she said. “This is the reward for everything we did together.”
Reusser, meanwhile, offered an explanation for her subdued final stages. Fighting back tears, she revealed that illness had compromised her defence of the jersey.
“I was the last three days sick. I wasn’t even sure I could start today,” she said. “I’m very tired. Yesterday was a terrible day. I’m just glad I could save second place. It’s very frustrating because I worked so hard for this.”
Still, she made a point of congratulating her rival. “I’m not saying Elisa doesn’t deserve it. She does. But next time, I want to fight in good health.”
As the sun set over Imola, Longo Borghini rolled across the line behind Reusser and Gigante, her GC win secure. A second straight Giro title on home soil, and a masterclass in timing, patience, and resilience.
Photo Credit: LaPresse2025 Giro d’Italia Women Stage 8 result
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2025 Giro d’Italia Women GC result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: LaPresse
