Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM) started the ninth day of racing at the Giro d'Italia Women slotted into third on the general classification. She was 1:20 behind maglia rosa Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) and another 31 seconds behind Demi Vollering (FDJ United-SUEZ). The formidable veterans were as much of a mountain to blast past as the three categorised ascents on stage 9.
With a strong downhill acceleration after the first, and longest, climb of the day, she was the virtual GC leader on the road Sunday, finding herself at the front of the race with Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) and Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek) and under 99km to go. The trio had two minutes on Van der Breggen and Vollering.
Then Vollering powered across to the leading trio with 24km to go and the scenario changed, but it still landed the young German on her first GC podium at a World Tour race.
"I tried everything I could. Yeah, I think we played it well, and yes, I think it was just a great Giro. I think I'm quite happy with my result."
She recounted that after the 8.6km Montoso, with under 99km to go, there seemed to be an intermission or pause among the front group. She then launched an attack, which was not caught on TV cameras.
"Somehow I ended up alone and Elisa joined me with Niamh. We went quite a long time with the three of us, and then Demi joined. I think it was just a good scenario for us," she recalled in a post-race television interview.
"She [Vollering] told me that she needs to rest a little bit, and then she can ride with us."
The 23-year-old German said she didn't let thoughts of the virtual race lead enter in the equation as she rode in the breakaway. In fact, she was proud of how she keeps her emotions under wraps visually. Prior to the Giro finale, she spoke about her good 'poker face' from her days of competitive running and ski racing, winning the junior World Championships of ski mountaineering twice.
Her mother was also at the Giro to watch her daughter race, and said in a Canyon-SRAM video that her ability to hide any stress came from her days of training in ballet: "they shouldn't change their face for when they're dancing and especially standing on their toes when it hurts".
The German's face remained focused on her task to earn a GC podium. The two-time U23 World Champion in the time trial discipline made her big move on the stage 4 uphill time trial, finishing fourth to winner Van der Breggen and moving to fourth overall. Each day she improved.
In 2024 she finished sixth overall at the Giro and then went fifth overall in 2025, with a white jersey as best young rider. And in 2023, her first Giro, she won stage 5 on debut at the Grand Tour. That day she took off solo and narrowly won against the eventual GC champion Annemiek van Vleuten.
So did she have visions on the streets in Saluzzo of winning a second Giro stage, against a former two-time champion?
"I think I knew that Elisa will win the stage, she was just incredibly strong today, and she deserved it," she said about Longo Borghini winning the sprint. Fisher-Black trailed in second and Niedermaier took third on the stage, ahead of GC winner Vollering in an explosive final day of racing.
Second overall was a successful fourth trip to the Giro. There is just one step higher for Niedermaier the next time she races at the Italian Grand Tour.
“I’m really happy with the result, especially after waiting so long for this podium. Four years ago, I crashed really hard in the Giro and since then, I’ve been trying hard to make it onto the podium. Finally this year, I was able to do it.”
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