An edition of the Giro dell'Emilia Donne hit hard by scheduling overlaps, coinciding directly with the European Championships in Slovenia, still delivered a spectacular moment of racing as Alessia Vigilia claimed a glorious victory atop the Colle del San Luca. The Italian rode away from her seven breakaway companions with a magnificent 40km solo raid, securing the biggest win of her career to date. Her diesel engine and time trialing pedigree proved decisive on the tough finish.
Behind her, Canadian Sarah Van Dam mounted a furious late pursuit, coming agonizingly close to bridging the gap to finish second just 6 seconds adrift. Scotland's Lauren Dickson completed the podium in third, holding off Malou Eisen who continued her sparkling late-season form. Despite the lack of television coverage and live updates due to scheduling conflicts, Vigilia's heroic performance left an indelible mark on the UCI 1.Pro race.