Young French rider Celia Gery achieved a remarkable victory on stage seven of the women's Giro d'Italia. In a thrilling finish, the 20-year-old surged past Lucinda Brand, who had led into the final corner, to claim her first stage win in the prestigious race.

The stage, covering 159 kilometers from Sorbolo Mezzani to Salice Terme, saw Gery and Brand part of a six-rider breakaway that successfully fended off the peloton, which crossed the line eight seconds later.

Gery commented on her win, saying, "It was a bit strange to be there but I was, so I just kept a cool head and went for it."

Chantal Pegolo from Italy finished third, while British riders Millie Couzens and Josie Nelson placed ninth and tenth, respectively.

In a separate incident, Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen experienced a crash with 55 kilometers remaining but managed to recover, retaining her overall lead heading into the final two stages of the race. As it stands, Van der Breggen leads compatriot Demi Vollering by one minute, with Antonia Niedermaier from Germany trailing by one minute and 24 seconds.

The penultimate stage, scheduled for Saturday, will feature a challenging 105-kilometer course from Rivoli to Sestriere, including the daunting 2,180m Colle delle Finestre, known for its pivotal role in past Giro-winning strategies.