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Elisa Longo Borghini has become the first home winner of the Women’s Giro d’Italia since 2008 after a tense eighth and final stage.<\/b><\/p>\n
The Lidl-Trek rider, 32, started the day with a one-second lead over SD Worx-Protime’s Lotte Kopecky, and Longo Borghini held off the Belgian to win the Maglia Rosa for the first time.<\/p>\n
Mauritian Kim Le Court saw off Ruth Edwards and Franziska Koch in a sprint to win the 117km stage from Pescara to L’Aquila.<\/p>\n
Longo Borghini, who held the Maglia Rosa from the first stage, was 25 seconds back in fourth and ended the overall race 21 seconds clear of second-placed Kopecky in the general classification.<\/p>\n
Australia’s Neve Bradbury, racing for Canyon\/\/SRAM, was a further 55 seconds behind in third.<\/p>\n
“Everyone in the team was super motivated to keep the Maglia Rosa and to keep the leadership,” Longo Borghini said.<\/p>\n
“All the team-mates did an amazing job. Everyone was so committed, so thank you very much.<\/p>\n
“I will need some time to realise what I’ve been doing.”<\/p>\n
World road race champion Kopecky won the sprinter’s Maglia Rossa with compatriot Justine Ghekiere of AG Insureance-Soudal taking the climber’s jersey, the Maglia Azzurra.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n