Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) lost more precious seconds to Giro d'Italia Women rivals Demi Vollering and Anna van der Breggen but found optimism in her performance after an illness-disrupted spring and after losing 1:50 to van der Breggen in Tuesday's Nevegal time trial.
The defending Giro d'Italia Women champion was dropped on the first climb up to Costa at the foot of the Dolomites but fought back on.
She was distanced again on the second time over the Costa climb but never gave up and finished just 15 seconds behind stage winner Vollering as the leaders slowed and looked at each other before the sprint for the stage.
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Longo Borghini moved up two places to sixth in the GC standings and is now 2:12 down on van der Breggen. Marlen Reusser lost 53 seconds and so Longo Borghini sees a chance to move up to at least five in the final mountain stages.
"In general it was a good day, definitely better than yesterday. I feel that day by day I'm feeling better," Longo Borghini told Eurosport, seeing her glass half full.
"I was focusing on my race and my rhythm and that's about it.
"It's about trusting the process and getting into the race again. The Giro is long. I feel very happy that I'm definitely back in contention, for a top five at least."
Longo Borghini won the UAE Tour and was fourth at Strade Bianche but was hit by seasonal flu that turned into a chest infection.
She raced selectively in March and April, finishing eighth at the Tour of Flanders, but was then forced to take time off and reset. She did not race for eight weeks before the Giro Women began on Saturday.
The Italian national champion admitted she has suffered mentally as well as physically.
"It's nice to be back in the peloton. It's been a hard time, also for my head," Longo Borghini said.
"I'm getting better day by day and that gives me confidence. You never have to give up, you always have to fight, fight and one day you will be rewarded."
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