Elisa Longo Borghini might have dropped from second to third on the final in the middle of the final stage of the La Vuelta Femenina, nevertheless continues to be strolling away from the first part of the season glad and with the lead throughout the Girls’s WorldTour.
The Italian champion entered the Spanish tour as co-leader with Gaia Realini, after having delivered a run of podiums by means of the spring which included victory on the Tour of Flanders. Nonetheless, it turned out to not be a easy path by means of La Vuelta Femenina for the Lidl-Trek group, which misplaced Ellen van Dijk and Realini to crashes. That meant Longo Borghini, who already a tiring sturdy block of racing behind her, was left to aim to defend second with a depleted squad and with out her key climbing ally.
“I was not at my best diploma, nevertheless I fought onerous with my teammates as we did think about until the very end that we might keep the second place,” talked about Longo Borghini in a bunch media launch. “In the long term, it wasn’t doable and I accomplished third. That’s sport – usually you win, usually you lose.
“Nonetheless, third place throughout the Vuelta isn’t a foul finish consequence, hey? All people was super supportive, so because of my teammates and the employees for his or her work. It’s sad to lose the second place, nevertheless I did my 100%, and what else can I do? You should smile, it’s nonetheless a superb finish consequence,” talked about the rider after taking to the last word whole podium of the race for a third time, having come second on the rising race in every 2022 and 2020.
This time Longo Borghini had moved as a lot as second whole on the first summit finish of the race and held that runner-up spot correct by means of to the last word day, nevertheless then throughout the remaining kilometres of the eight-stage race it slipped away. On the last word climb Longo Borghini dropped off the tempo of a lead chase group that included her nearest rival on the GC, Riejanne Markus (Visma-Lease a Bike).
The Tour of Flanders winner fought on nevertheless crossed the highway 27 seconds behind Markus, who moreover acquired an eight second bonus for ending third. That meant the Visma-Lease a Bike secured the runner-up spot, 1:49 behind winner Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) and 11 seconds ahead of Longo Borghini in third.
“I don’t suppose I made any mistake,” talked about Longo Borghini. “I merely gave my 100% and that’s what I acquired.”
Third whole at La Vuelta Femenina and two stage podiums, nonetheless, weren’t the one points Longo Borghini swept up in Spain in order so as to add to her early season tally, which even sooner than the Grand Tour had already included seven podiums and three wins.
“I’m throughout the purple jersey as chief of the UCI Girls’s WorldTour, and that signifies that I’ve been very fixed all through my Spring,” talked about Longo Borghini, who took the best spot on the top-tier sequence leaderboard from Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime). “I’m glad with my first part of the season. Now it’s time to leisure, reset and restart contemplating of the second part of the season.”
That’s extra prone to embrace two additional Grand Excursions for Longo Borghini, and two additional chances to work her method once more up the final podium.
