Hosking finished more than a bike length clear of the Italian riders duelling for second place - just as Hosking planned.
“I felt really good today, and it’s not every day you get an opportunity to win a stage of the Giro, so I wanted to make the most of it!
The victory is Hosking's first in the Giro Rosa, but it almost wasn't to be due to tussles over Olympic selection.
“Gio [Bronzini] spoke to me in the car yesterday, and asked me what I wanted to do today," said Hosking. "I wanted to sprint, but I’m also mindful that Olympic qualification is still up for grabs for the Italians, so I told her that I didn’t want to take an opportunity away from her if it’s going to affect her Rio selection.
"But we spoke in the race, and she said ‘Chloe, we go for you;’ and I wasn’t going to say no."
The overall classification remained unchanged, with Evelyn Stevens (Boels-Dolmans) retaining the maglia rosa.
Megan Guarnier leads race leader Evelyn Stevens through the hairpins at the 2016 Giro Rosa.
“It was a fantastic day,” said Stevens. ““We tried to form echelons a few times because it was windy.
"That made the race a bit more aggressive. You never knew when you were going to hit a crosswind section that could do damage. That definitely added to the character of the race.”
