High temperatures provided a test to the peloton on the 116.16 kilometres stage, with the field remaining together through most of the day.

A three rider breakaway formed after a sprint for the mountains classification points won by Britain’s Hannah Barnes.

The Canyon-SRAM rider was joined by Soraya Paladin and Sofia Bertizzolo, with the Italian cyclists contributing to a move.

The trio gained close to a one minute advantage on the main field but were slowly pegged back.

With nearly 10km remaining, the breakaway came to an end as teams became eyeing the opportunity of a sprint victory.

It became an inevitability when no further attacks occurred in the closing kilometre of racing.

Lepistö was the fastest finisher, the Finnish rider earning victory in a time of 2 hours 50min 30sec.

She was followed across the line by the United States’ Coryn Rivera and Italy’s Giorgia Bronzini, both given the same time as the winner.

Overall leader Anna van der Breggen was on the right side of a split in the bunch to gain three seconds on her nearest rivals.

The Dutchwoman, riding for Boels–Dolmans, now lies 63 seconds clear overall of Italy's Elisa Longo-Borghini.

Yesterday’s stage winner Annemiek van Vleuten is third, with the Dutch rider now 1:39 off the pace.

The International Cycling Union Women’s Worldtour race is due to continue tomorrow with a 141km mountain stage from Isernia to Baronissi.