Results Giro d'Italia Women 2026 Stage 8 - Demi Vollering takes win as race shortened to finish on Finestre over unstable ice

Demi Vollering took her second stage win of the 2026 Giro d'Italia on stage 8 on Saturday. The stage was shortened due to unstable ice as the riders raced up the iconic Colle delle Finestre - meaning the Dutch rider crossed the new finish line one kilometer before the top of the gruelling climb.

Colle delle Finestre was on every rider's minds as the peloton rolled out from Rivoli for the 106 kilometer stage. Although not the finish line, and with a demanding climb to the Sestriere finish on the menu afterwards, the differences were set to be made on the slopes of the iconic climb.

However, while riders were on the Finestre, organisers announced that the stage would be shortened due to unstable ice on the route ahead. The new finish would be one kilometer before the peak of the Colle delle Finestre and riders would not descend the mountain or climb to Sestriere.

With a largely flat opening 55 kilometers before the 18.1 kilometer beast, the breakaway fight made it difficult for riders anticipating to try and get in front of the general classification leaders before the fireworks later in the day. As the race approached Finestre, a group of some 16 riders had made the break of the day and forget a gap of over 1:30 from the peloton. Although none a general classification threat, stage 7 stage winner Célia Gery, Sylvia Persico, Lucinda Brand, Alison Jackson and Rosita Reijnhout were among the bigger names present.

However, the front of the race would rapidly change on Finestre. The main leaders quickly caught the breakaway on the lower slopes, with the race becoming a drag race up the climb.

With 40 kilometers to go and still over half of the climb remaining, Demi Vollering put Gery and Lauren Dickson to work with just around 17 riders left in the bunch. The first high-profile rider to lose touch were Marlen Reusser and Lore De Schepper as they dropped from the group.

Valentina Cavaller remained for pink jersey Anna Van Der Breggen until 36 kilometers to go as Gery's work was done. Dropping with Urska Zigart, van der Breggen found herself isolated as the group shrunk to just eight riders - with Dickson driving the pace.

As the crucial gravel section of the climb began, Elisa Longo Borghini was the next to feel the pace. But Demi Vollering soon made her move, driving several accelerations in an attempt to drop the rest of the field. She was followed by van der Breggen, Antonia Niedermaier and Isabella Holmgren as thngs settled down with news emerging of the shortened stage reaching riders.

With the finish now just under four kilometers away, van der breggen saw the opportunity to consolidate her lead and took to the front. Vollering once again applied the pressure with two kilometers to go, but matters at the front seemed destined to stay the same.

The maglia rosa once again drove the pace into the final kilometer as Vollering, Holmgren and Niedermaier began to re-focus on a stage win opportunity brought by the shortened stage. It was Vollering who surged late to take her second stage win on the make-shift finish line.

Holmgren continued her impressive Giro with a second place while Niedermaier - who looked comfortable throughout the climb - rounded out the day's podium.

Anna van der Breggen stays in pink after the shortened stage. There were chaotic scenes after the finish as teams attempted to care for finished riders on the foggy slopes, with usual soigneurs at the finish not present to care for riders after racing.