Elisa Longo Borghini has become the first home winner of the Women’s Giro d’Italia since 2008 after a tense eighth and final stage.
The Lidl-Trek rider, 32, started the day with a one-second lead over SD Worx-Protime’s Lotte Kopecky, and Longo Borghini held off the Belgian to win the Maglia Rosa for the first time.
Mauritian Kim Le Court saw off Ruth Edwards and Franziska Koch in a sprint to win the 117km stage from Pescara to L’Aquila.
Longo Borghini, who held the Maglia Rosa from the first stage, was 25 seconds back in fourth and ended the overall race 21 seconds clear of second-placed Kopecky in the general classification.
Australia’s Neve Bradbury, racing for Canyon//SRAM, was a further 55 seconds behind in third.
“Everyone in the team was super motivated to keep the Maglia Rosa and to keep the leadership,” Longo Borghini said.
“All the team-mates did an amazing job. Everyone was so committed, so thank you very much.
“I will need some time to realise what I’ve been doing.”
World road race champion Kopecky won the sprinter’s Maglia Rossa with compatriot Justine Ghekiere of AG Insureance-Soudal taking the climber’s jersey, the Maglia Azzurra.