The Italian Trek-Segafredo rider managed to escape an earlier crash in the peloton at the flamme rouge to put her on the path to outfox Dutch duo Charlotte Kool and Marianne Vos.

Kool of Team DSM was Balsamo’s main rival heading into the final 200 metres with the two riders battling it out in the final moments of the race.

Nevertheless, Balsamo managed to gather a few extra metres needed to edge Kool and finish the race in 3hrs 5mins 2secs.

"We started the final kilometres really well," Balsamo said after the race, according to VeloNews.

"We knew I had to be first into the last corner, I tried to do my best and the team did a great job so I’m really happy.

"It was a hard sprint, but nice."

Italy’s Chiara Consonni of Valcar Travel and Service finished fourth with compatriot Marta Bastianelli of UAE Team ADQ one spot below.

The general classification has remained unchanged with The Netherlands’ Annemiek van Vleuten leading Spain’s Mavi García by 25 seconds and Italy’s Marta Cavalli by 57 seconds.

The cyclists are set to compete tomorrow with a 114.7 kilometres battle between Sarnico and Bergamo.