Riders took to the penultimate stage, a mountainous route from Feletto Umberto to Monte Matajur on the Italy-Slovenia border, spanning 122.6 kilometres.

Moolman Pasio recorded the biggest win of her career so far and her third stage victory following 2015 and 2016 wins at the Auensteiner–Radsporttage.

Young Italian Marta Cavalli of FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope was fourth, in front of Britain's Lizzie Deignan of Trek-Segafredo in fifth place.

Technical issues with the stream marred the stage, meaning fan footage had to capture the finishing riders.

Moolman Pasio attacked with Italian Elisa Longo Borghini of Trek-Segafredo on the penultimate Stregna climb, 41km from the finish and the two riders started the Monte Matajur finishing climb with a two minute advantage on the peloton.

While the Italian was dropped with 8km to go, Moolman Pasio continued on solo to win while Vollering and general classification leader Van der Breggen emerged from the peloton on to the podium.

Tomorrow's final stage of the 2021 Giro Donne is a hilly 113km route from Capriva del Friuli to Cormons.

Van der Breggen looks set to hold on to her title from 2020, but Moolman Pasio and Vollering are within three minutes of the leader.