In the end, it was Sarah Gigante who emerged on top. The punishing climb from Valdobbiadene to Pianezze, with the shimmering Prosecco Hills as a backdrop, brought to the fore a surprising name, but one we have a feeling we’ll be hearing a lot more in the future. With a searing attack just over 2 km from the finish, she left riders like Marlen Reusser (Movistar) and Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) in her wake, with no real chance to respond.
Stage 4 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia Women was billed as a showdown between the big names – and it delivered. Movistar and Reusser, clearly growing more and more hungry for the Maglia Rosa as the stage went on, lit up the pace from the very first ramps of the climb, shattering the peloton.
Reusser even attacked herself, but when she realized that Longo Borghini and the others were glued to her wheel, she eased off, choosing to wait for a better moment.
When she tried again, the response came from Longo Borghini, Gigante, and Antonia Niedermaier (SD Worx-Protime). That’s when Gigante, the 2000-born Australian, launched her decisive move.
Having already won the Tour Down Under on home soil last year, she powered away solo to claim the most prestigious win of her career.
“I knew I was in good shape, but winning a stage goes beyond even my wildest dreams,” Gigante said. “I had surgery on my iliac artery, then dislocated my shoulder and was out for six months. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. In the final stretch, I kept looking back — it felt too good to be true”.
Reusser finished third but reclaimed the Maglia Rosa, taking it from the ever-resilient Anna Henderson. She now leads the GC with 16 seconds on Longo Borghini and 34 seconds on Gigante, who now has her eyes firmly set on Monte Nerone this Saturday. Everything’s still wide open – and four thrilling stages remain.