But with the heat it is very heavy," said Brand.
The Dutch rider then took responsibility for guiding her teammate through the final technical sections of the course.
She executed the strategy perfectly to position Balsamo for the final sprint.
"There was some chaos when we rode into the city," said Brand. Brand maintained her position at the front of the lead group until the sprint opened up.
Her efforts ensured that Balsamo maintained direct contact through the final meters. "I took the lead and I knew that Elisa could take my wheel," said Brand.
Following the successful sprint, the team celebrated the victory after controlling the high-temperature race. Brand expressed her satisfaction with the final outcome of the stage.
"A beautiful day," said Brand.
In separate cycling action at the Boucles de la Mayenne in northern France, Olav Kooij of Decathlon-CMA CGM won the final stage in a mass sprint.
Meanwhile, the final standings of the men's Giro d'Italia saw Felix Gall secure second place overall, while Jai Hindley completed the podium in third place.
