Giro d’Italia: Urška Žigart and Lore De Schepper secure top-10 overall finishes

Giro d’Italia: Urška Žigart and Lore De Schepper secure top-10 overall finishes

The Slovenian and the Belgian concluded a strong Giro d’Italia campaign by finishing eighth and tenth respectively in the final general classification.

Urška Žigart and Lore De Schepper capped off an impressive Giro d’Italia Women for AG Insurance - Soudal on Sunday, securing eighth and tenth place overall after a demanding final stage around Saluzzo.

Arriving at the start of the last day following the gruelling queen stage over the Colle delle Finestre, both riders once again showed their resilience as the race exploded from the opening climbs and the general classification battle intensified.

Having finished sixth at La Vuelta just four weeks ago, Žigart was among the select group of GC contenders who managed to stay near the front during the decisive moments of the stage. Meanwhile, De Schepper continued her remarkable Grand Tour debut, positioning herself strongly throughout the day and remaining firmly in contention for a top-ten result.

The pair would eventually join forces in the closing phase of the stage. After coming back from behind, De Schepper immediately committed herself to supporting her teammate, taking long turns at the front as the race headed back towards Saluzzo. Their teamwork proved invaluable as both riders fought to defend their positions in the general classification.

Despite suffering a mechanical issue and later being involved in a crash on the descent of the final climb, Žigart refused to give up. Together with De Schepper, she continued to push all the way to the finish line, preserving her place inside the top ten while also moving up one position in the standings. The Slovenian ultimately finished eighth overall, recording the best Giro d’Italia result ever achieved by a Slovenian rider, while De Schepper secured an excellent tenth place overall in her first Giro Women appearance.

“It was a really aggressive day of racing, a wild stage, full gas from the first climb. Both Lore and myself were there, and tried to do our best. Unfortunately, some race incidents hindered our chances of limiting the losses, but it could have been much worse for our GC hopes, so in the end we can be content with this outcome.

I’m happy because I managed to improve my position from last year and this gives me confidence that in the future I can get an even better result. It was a really hard race and a strong field, so I’m satisfied to be in the top ten,” said Žigart.

The double top-ten result underlines AG Insurance - Soudal’s strong collective performance throughout the Giro d’Italia Women, with both Žigart and De Schepper delivering consistent performances across nine demanding stages in Italy.