“That is not the reason why I lose the Giro...” - Anna van der Breggen refuses to make excuses after Demi Vollering’s Stage 9 turnaround signals Maglia Rosa heartbreak for SD Worx

Anna van der Breggen refused to use her Stage 7 crash or lingering back pain as an excuse after losing the Giro d’Italia Women on a chaotic final day, as former SD Worx-Protime team-mate Demi Vollering ripped the Maglia Rosa away in Saluzzo.

Van der Breggen began the day in pink, 49 seconds clear of Vollering and 1:24 ahead of Antonia Niedermaier, but finished the race third overall at 1:37 after the Giro exploded in the final mountains. Vollering claimed overall victory by 34 seconds from Niedermaier, completing her Grand Tour triple crown and delivering a brutal late twist against the team she left before joining FDJ United - SUEZ.

The decisive move came after Niedermaier, Elisa Longo Borghini and Niamh Fisher-Black had already gone clear, forcing Van der Breggen and Vollering into a tense tactical standoff behind. Vollering then attacked on the Colletta di Brondello, distanced Van der Breggen and bridged across to the front group, where Longo Borghini later won the stage.

For Van der Breggen, speaking to Eurosport after the finish, the Giro had slipped away through a mix of final-day attacks, physical limits and a tactical situation she could not fully control. “They attacked and I couldn’t respond to everything,” she said. “I also felt a bit less good today, so I had to gamble a little. I was eventually left with Demi. That is a good situation in itself, if we work together, but Demi was not willing to take turns. Only her team-mate rode on the front.”

The tension behind Niedermaier’s move defined the race. Van der Breggen had the jersey to defend, but chasing alone risked dragging Vollering back into position to attack her again. Waiting gave Niedermaier room to threaten pink. Neither option was safe.

“If I only work in the chase and Demi doesn’t, then I definitely don’t win the Giro,” said the Team SD Worx - Protime leader. “I already started the final climb a bit more tired because of that. She did do a few turns, but she didn’t really take over either. It is what it is. It was not enough.”

Vollering’s final acceleration settled the contest between the two Dutch riders. Van der Breggen tried to respond, but the gap opened quickly on the steepest part of the climb. Vollering crossed to the front, collected bonus seconds, and rode into a virtual race lead that became uncatchable in the run-in to Saluzzo.

“She then attacked again on the final climb,” Van der Breggen said. “I tried to follow, but she was simply stronger today. I did everything I could, but I had also taken such a scenario into account. It is a shame that I still lose the jersey, but I gave everything. Then this is the outcome.”

Van der Breggen’s defeat came after another difficult final act in a Grand Tour. Earlier this season, she also saw the Vuelta Femenina slip away on the last day. At the Giro, the pain was sharpened by how close she had been after taking control in the Stage 4 uphill time trial to Nevegal Tudor.

She had also crashed on Stage 7, a moment that might have offered an obvious explanation for what followed. Van der Breggen dismissed that as the reason for losing the race.

“No, I don’t think so,” she said when asked whether the crash was still affecting her. “It was also just a hard week and a hard day in the saddle. I did have some back pain, but that is not the reason why I lose the Giro here.”

That refusal to lean on excuses matched the rest of her reaction. Van der Breggen acknowledged Vollering’s strength, accepted the tactical risk and pointed to pride in a comeback Giro that had nearly ended in overall victory.

“But actually, I am just very proud of my performance,” she said. “I did not expect to get this far. If we can still improve a bit, a lot is still possible. Of course I am disappointed, but I am proud of the team and of my own fighting spirit.”

Vollering’s victory gives her the Giro, Tour and Vuelta set. For SD Worx, the final day brought the sharpest possible reversal: their former leader completed history, while Van der Breggen’s pink jersey disappeared in the final kilometres of the race.