Blanka Vas steps out of Lorena Wiebes' shadow to win Stage 8 at Giro d'Italia Donne for SD Worx

Blanka Vas (SD Worx) claimed the biggest win of her blossoming career on Stage 8 at the 2023 Giro d'Italia Donne as Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) avoided trouble to move within one stage of a fourth title. The 21-year-old easily held off the fast-finishing Chloe Dygert (Canyon-SRAM) and Liane Lippert (Movistar) in the sprint, with Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) left slamming her handlebars in frustration after fading in the finale. Ad With Sunday's final stage featuring just two Cat.

3 climbs, Van Vleuten is almost certain to secure the maglia rosa again. The Dutchwoman, who will retire at the end of the season, leads Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich) by 3'56" in the general classification, with Gaia Realini (Lidl-Trek) third at 4'23". Giro d'Italia DonneLongo Borghini sees off Ewers and Van Vleuten on Stage 403/07/2023 AT 13:10 After an unusual rest day on Friday to cart the peloton across to Sardinia for the final two stages, the run to Sassari was belatedly spiced up when Silvia Magri (Israel-Premier Tech Roland) was followed off the front by Floortje Mackaij (Movistar) with around 45km remaining.

Magri was happy to give her ally a splash of water as the duo's gap grew in searing heat. Her reward for sharing? Mackaij taking off with 35km left as she pushed on alone with a lead of over a minute. But that lead quickly vanished.

Veronica Ewers (EF Education–Tibco–SVB) attacked from the bunch in an ambitious bid to get her overall podium place back, but all it achieved was Realini tracking her every move, the pace increasing, and Mackaij soon being gobbled up. A bunch sprint beckoned. Fenix-Deceuninck made a wild move off the front with 2km remaining as Inge van der Heijden tried to tee up Carina Schrempf, although it only