GC and jerseys after Giro d’Italia Women 2026 stage 4

Mathew Mitchell

Published on June 2, 2026
in Giro Women, Women's Cycling

Anna van der Breggen took control of the Giro d’Italia Women 2026 on stage 4, winning the uphill individual time trial from Belluno to Nevegal and moving into the maglia rosa with a commanding performance. After three days shaped by Elisa Balsamo’s sprint strength, the race has now shifted decisively towards the climbers and general classification riders.

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The SD Worx-Protime rider stopped the clock in 31:38, putting 1:04 into Marlen Reusser and 1:10 into Demi Vollering on the 12.7km course. It was a major statement, not just because she won the stage, but because of the scale of the gaps. Reusser, the world time trial champion, was clearly the strongest reference point before Van der Breggen arrived, yet even she finished more than a minute down.

Balsamo lost the maglia rosa after a difficult day on a course that was always likely to move the race away from the sprinters. She finished 9:14 down on Van der Breggen, dropping to 56th overall, but she remains firmly in control of the points classification after her dominant opening three stages.

Our full report on Giro d’Italia Women 2026 stage 4 covers how the Nevegal time trial unfolded, while the Giro d’Italia Women 2026 full route guide explains what still lies ahead.

Giro d’Italia Women 2026 general classification after stage 4

Van der Breggen now leads the general classification by 1:04 over Reusser, with Vollering third at 1:10. Those gaps are already meaningful before the first major Dolomite road stage, especially because the race now has a clear hierarchy at the top.

The top 10 overall after stage 4 is:

Anna van der Breggen, Team SD Worx-Protime, 11:31:32
Marlen Reusser, Movistar Team, +1:04
Demi Vollering, FDJ United-Suez, +1:10
Antonia Niedermaier, Canyon SRAM zondacrypto, +1:26
Monica Trinca Colonel, Liv AlUla Jayco, +1:31
Lauren Dickson, FDJ United-Suez, +1:38
Femke de Vries, Team Visma | Lease a Bike, +1:39
Elisa Longo Borghini, UAE Team ADQ, +1:51
Urška Žigart, AG Insurance-Soudal, +1:54
Isabella Holmgren, Lidl-Trek, +1:55

The obvious headline is Van der Breggen’s lead, but the shape behind her is just as important. Reusser and Vollering are close enough to keep the race alive, but they are already in a position where SD Worx-Protime can begin to control the terms of engagement. Niedermaier’s fourth place is one of the strongest rides of the day in GC terms, while Trinca Colonel, Dickson and De Vries all moved into serious overall positions.

Longo Borghini is still inside two minutes, but the defending champion now has work to do. She remains close enough to be dangerous, especially with the harder road stages still to come, but Nevegal has put her on the attacking side of the race rather than the controlling one.

Van der Breggen takes the maglia rosa

Van der Breggen now has the maglia rosa after the most decisive ride of the race so far. The result changes the Giro completely. Before stage 4, the race was still partly framed around whether Balsamo could extend her early lead and how quickly the climbers could pull it back. After Nevegal, the GC has been reset around Van der Breggen.

That matters tactically. SD Worx-Protime now have the strongest rider in the race lead, but they also take on responsibility before a very hard stage 5 from Longarone to Santo Stefano di Cadore. The team cannot treat the next stage as a holding day, because the Dolomite terrain is too severe and the gaps behind are not large enough to discourage attacks.

Van der Breggen’s advantage gives her room, but not security. Reusser, Vollering, Niedermaier, Longo Borghini, Fisher-Black and the other climbers now have to decide how soon they want to challenge her. Waiting until the final weekend is possible, but stage 5 already gives the race a platform for pressure.

Our Giro d’Italia Women 2026 stage 5 preview looks at how the Santo Stefano di Cadore stage could test the new race leader immediately.

Giro d’Italia Women 2026 points classification after stage 4

Balsamo keeps control of the points classification after stage 4, despite losing the overall lead. Her opening three stages still carry huge weight in the red jersey competition, and the uphill time trial did little to change the top of that standings.

The top 10 in the points classification after stage 4 is:

Elisa Balsamo, Lidl-Trek, 105 points
Lara Gillespie, UAE Team ADQ, 50 points
Chiara Consonni, Canyon SRAM zondacrypto, 36 points
Lily Williams, Human Powered Health, 27 points
Charlotte Kool, Fenix-Premier Tech, 24 points
Femke Gerritse, Team SD Worx-Protime, 18 points
Marlen Reusser, Movistar Team, 17 points
Anna van der Breggen, Team SD Worx-Protime, 15 points
Elisa Longo Borghini, UAE Team ADQ, 15 points
Georgia Baker, Liv AlUla Jayco, 14 points

This remains Balsamo’s classification to defend. She has more than double Gillespie’s total and still has sprint-friendly opportunities to come, particularly once the race leaves the high mountains behind. The question is how much energy she has to spend getting through the Dolomite stages and whether the sprinters can reassert themselves when the route eases.

Stage 5 is unlikely to help her points campaign, but stage 6 to Brescello should be much more favourable. That gives Balsamo a clear short-term goal: survive Santo Stefano di Cadore, then look to return to the front when the profile suits her again.

Giro d’Italia Women 2026 mountains classification after stage 4

Van der Breggen also leads the mountains classification after Nevegal, taking control of the blue jersey as well as the maglia rosa. Her stage win was decisive enough to reshape both competitions at once.

The top 10 in the mountains classification after stage 4 is:

Anna van der Breggen, Team SD Worx-Protime, 27 points
Marlen Reusser, Movistar Team, 16 points
Demi Vollering, FDJ United-Suez, 9 points
Antonia Niedermaier, Canyon SRAM zondacrypto, 4 points
Alison Jackson, St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93, 3 points
Eleonora La Bella, Aromitalia Vaiano, 3 points
Monica Trinca Colonel, Liv AlUla Jayco, 2 points
Elisa De Vallier, Top Girls Fassa Bortolo, 2 points
Marta Pavesi, Top Girls Fassa Bortolo, 2 points
Lauren Dickson, FDJ United-Suez, 1 point

The blue jersey is now attached to the same rider as the pink jersey, but the competition should become more fluid from here. Stage 5 includes Passo Tre Croci, Passo Sant’Antonio and the repeated Costa climb near Santo Stefano di Cadore, so there are plenty of points available immediately.

If Van der Breggen continues to dominate the main GC group, she could build a strong hold on the competition. If breakaways begin to take mountain points, the blue jersey race may open up again quickly.

Giro d’Italia Women 2026 young rider classification after stage 4

Isabella Holmgren now leads the young rider classification after an excellent ride on Nevegal. The Lidl-Trek rider finished 10th on the stage and moved to 10th overall, giving her a clear lead in the white jersey standings.

The top 10 in the young rider classification after stage 4 is:

Isabella Holmgren, Lidl-Trek, 11:33:27
Lore De Schepper, AG Insurance-Soudal, +35 seconds
Viktória Chladonová, Team Visma | Lease a Bike, +2:00
Rosita Reijnhout, Team Visma | Lease a Bike, +2:13
Célia Gery, FDJ United-Suez, +2:33
Marion Bunel, Team Visma | Lease a Bike, +3:16
Irene Cagnazzo, Vini Fantini-BePink, +7:19
Justyna Czapla, Canyon SRAM zondacrypto, +7:42
Fleur Moors, Lidl-Trek, +7:43
Stina Kagevi, EF Education-Oatly, +8:26

Holmgren’s ride is one of the most important developments of the day. Before stage 4, the young rider classification was still tightly packed, with several riders level or close on time. Nevegal has now created real separation. De Schepper remains close enough to challenge, but Chladonová, Reijnhout and Gery have already been pushed further back.

The next question is recovery. A short uphill time trial rewards individual effort, but stage 5 asks young riders to handle repeated climbs, descending, positioning and team tactics. Holmgren has earned the white jersey, but Santo Stefano di Cadore will test how securely she can defend it.

What stage 4 means for the GC battle

Stage 4 has given the Giro d’Italia Women a proper hierarchy. Van der Breggen is now the leader and the rider everyone else must measure themselves against. Reusser and Vollering are close enough to keep pressure on, but the size of Van der Breggen’s win means she starts the next phase of the race with a clear psychological advantage.

Niedermaier’s fourth place overall adds another important storyline. She is now only 1:26 down and looks fully capable of influencing the mountain stages. Trinca Colonel’s fifth place is also significant, while Dickson and De Vries both turned strong Nevegal rides into high GC positions.

Longo Borghini, Žigart, Holmgren and Fisher-Black are all within 2:12, which means the race is far from settled. The gaps are large enough to force action, but not large enough to end the contest. That is a useful balance for the Giro. Van der Breggen has control, but she does not yet have comfort.

For Balsamo, the GC chapter is effectively over. That does not diminish what she has done across the opening four days. She won three stages, wore pink, and still leads the points classification. Her Giro now becomes a different race: defend red, survive the mountains, and look for another sprint opportunity.

What comes next?

Stage 5 from Longarone to Santo Stefano di Cadore is the first major mountain road stage of the Giro d’Italia Women 2026. It brings 146km and around 3,400 metres of climbing, including Passo Tre Croci, Passo Sant’Antonio and two ascents of Costa on the finishing circuit.

That makes it an immediate test for Van der Breggen’s new race lead. SD Worx-Protime have the jersey, but the terrain is hard enough for rivals to attack. Vollering, Longo Borghini, Niedermaier, Fisher-Black, Žigart, Trinca Colonel and Reusser all have reasons to make the race difficult rather than allow a controlled day.

The time trial has sorted the race individually. Stage 5 will show which teams can turn that new order into tactics on the road.