The Dutch star triumphed in 2015, 2017 and 2020, with last year’s success coming in October due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the event to be rescheduled.

Van der Breggen moved level with compatriot Marianne Vos and Switzerland’s Nicole Brändli, with only Italy’s Fabiana Luperini having won the race more often on five victories.

The stage race begins tomorrow with a 26.7-kilometre team time trial from Fossano to Cuneo.

Two mountain stages and a mountain time trial will be contested during this year’s race, while sprinters have a handful of opportunities to earn victories.

The race will take place until July 11.

Van der Breggen is expected to use the race to help build towards defending her Olympic road race title at Tokyo 2020, ahead of the Dutch star's retirement at the end of the season.

Her compatriot Annemiek van Vleuten, the 2018 and 2019 race winner, will be absent as she focuses her attentions on the Olympic Games.

Vos, Italy’s Elisa Longo Borghini and Denmark’s Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig will hope to challenge Van der Breggen.

The race, viewed as one of the most prestigious on the women’s calendar, was dropped from the International Cycling Union (UCI) WorldTour circuit due to a lack of television footage.

Race organisers have confirmed they will now show live coverage of the final 15km of each stage, overseen by Pulse Media Group.

The group’s media channels will show racing, as well as on the race website, Italian websites Repubblica and Tutobiciweb, as well as the Eurosport Player and on Global Cycling Network.

Organisers confirmed 50 minutes will also be distributed throughout Latin America thanks to Claro TV, in the United Kingdom on the BBC, in Australia on SBS TV and in New Zealand on Spark Sport.

Highlights will also be shown in South Africa on SABC Sport, in Holland on NOS TV, in Romania on SportExtra, while in Asia it will be broadcast on television in 69 countries by Eurosport.

The coverage has led to the UCI agreeing that the race will return to the UCI Women’s WorldTour next year.

Organisers confirmed that the race will be rebranded as the Giro Donne from, having been known as the Giro Rosa between 2013 to 2020.

"The decision of UCI to bring the Giro d'Italia Women back to the Women's World Tour in 2022 is great news that the Giro and all the athletes deserved to receive and confirms our desire this year to invest all means in our disposal to give the right value to this great sporting event," said Roberto Ruini, founder of PMG Sports and Giro Donne general manager.

"When in February of this year we chose to take on this three-year project, shared with Italian Cycling Federation, our mission was precisely to bring the Giro back to the Women's World Tour.

"After this choice by UCI, we will always continue to give our best, both in terms of organisation and production and of media distribution."