Hat-trick for Vos in Piacenza

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Marianne Vos continued her domination of the Giro Donne, winning her third stage of the event while wearing the maglia rosa of race leader.

The 128km stage to Piacenza was the desired prize of world champion Giorgia Bronzini, who hails from the finishing town, but Vos was just too strong in the final 200m for the Italian.

"I was hoping to get my first win of the Giro in my home town - the finish was technical and suited my characteristics, but Vos is at this moment the strongest," Bronzini said. "To take second place on her wheel has the value of a victory."

HTC-Highroad's Ina Teutenberg took third in the sprint.

Another warm day in Italy greeted the 126-rider peloton. Two riders failed to take the start, with Garmin-Cervelo's Lucy Martin and Rochelle Gilmore (Lotto Honda) abandoning the race due to injuries sustained in the finish line crash on stage 5.

A long, fairly flat stage, the day was dominated by a three rider breakaway initiated by Liesbet De Vocht (Topsport Vlaanderen 2012 - Ridley Team). The Belgian built up a lead of 45 seconds by herself before being joined by Italian Valentina Bastianelli (Vaiano Solaristech) and Esra Tromp (Netherlands).

The trio built up a lead of two minutes with 30km to go before the chase began in earnest, led by the Colavita Forno d'Asolo squad. Despite their best efforts, the leaders were brought back with 10km to go, and the bunch sprint was ensured.

However, Vos, not a pure sprinter, demonstrated her bottomless well of power by unleashing a furious turn of speed with 200m to go that even the world champion could not match.

Despite her evident form, Nederland Bloeit director Jeroen Blijlevens told telesport.nl that he is uncertain that she can last to the end of the Giro in the race lead.

"With three mountain stages and an individual time trial ahead it will not be easy. Marianne has never finished a major stage race on the podium, so that would be a good end in itself."