Elisa Balsamo wins third stage of Giro d'Italia Women, retains pink jersey

Italian cyclist Elisa Balsamo (Lidl‑Trek) claimed victory in the third stage of the 2026 Giro d'Italia Women, a 156 km race from Bibione to Buja, completing it in 3 h 43 min 43 s at an average speed of 41.8 km/h. She finished ahead of Lily Williams (Human Powered Health) and Femke Gerritse (Team SD Worx‑Protime). The win kept Balsamo in the Maglia Rosa (pink jersey) as the overall race leader, while she also holds the Maglia Rossa for points.

The following day the fourth stage will start in Belluno and finish in Nevegal, covering 12.7 km of continuous climbing with gradients above 10 % and sections up to 14 %. The stage will begin with a brief descent through Belluno’s historic centre before the long ascent, and the start order begins with Ilaria Marinetto at 13:05 and ends with the current pink‑jersey wearer Elisa Balsamo at 15:58.