Giro Rosa: Britain's Emma Pooley wins her second stage in Italy

"I didn't really attack I just rode harder" - Britain's Emma Pooley

Britain's Emma Pooley won her second stage of this year's Giro Rosa with a powerful ascent to the summit finish on stage eight at Varzo-San Domenico.

Pooley, who also won stage six, rode away from 2013 winner Mara Abbott to win by five seconds and strengthen her lead in the King of the Mountains race.

"I wanted to win the stage, after all the work the girls did for me," said Pooley of her Lotto-Belisol team-mates.

Marianne Vos was sixth, one minute, 28 seconds back but retains the race lead.

The Dutch World and Olympic champion is 16 seconds clear of team-mate Pauline Ferrand Prevot, with a third member of the Ravo Liv squad third, one minutes, 17 seconds adrift.

Saturday's penultimate stage was 90.3km in length, ending with a 13km climb to the finish.

Pooley, who is more than eight minutes behind Vos in the overall standings, said: "I didn't start with the idea I could win the stage, my main goal was to keep the green jersey."

She added: "I didn't really attack I just rode harder. It wasn't a sprint at the end, just by raising the pace I apparently had created a gap. I didn't even put my hands in the air, because I was sure she was coming."

Sunday's final stage is another summit finish, at Magreglio, where the riders climb the famous Madonna del Ghisallo.