Marianne Vos won stage three of the Giro Rosa as defending champion Annemiek van Vleuten retained the leader’s jersey.
The Dutch CCC Liv rider edged victory on the brutal final climb to the finish in Assisi, with FDJ’s Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig second and Trek-Segafredo’s Elisa Longo Borghini third.
Borghini had lost the Maglia Rosa on Saturday but redeemed herself with the podium finish.
Race leader Van Vleuten placed fifth.
The peloton had been as one heading into the final kilometre, but the final climb – with peaks of 15% gradient – split the group with six riders pushing ahead.
Vos, a three-time Giro Rosa winner, was able to counter an attack from Borghini before powering on to the finish to seal her 26th stage win.
Monday’s fourth stage will be the longest of the race at 170.3km between Assisi and Tivoli.