After her bronze medal at the Worlds in Zurich, the Italian champion cemented her desire to end an already great season, and her time with Lidl-Trek as a whole, in the best possible way
2015, 2016, 2022 and now, 2024.
For the fourth time, the Italian champion, Elisa Longo Borghini is prophet in her homeland and conquers the Giro dell’Emilia. A success sought out with strength and conviction, on a gloomy day that put the resilience of the peloton to the test. Nine seconds behind, Muzic (FDJ Suez) finished second and Labous (DSM) third.
Elisa’s seventh victory of the season (that also includes 21 podiums results) came after the group, selected by the bad weather and the first ascent to San Luca, faced the descent of the final climb. Longo Borghin’s well-known descending skills made the difference, creating a solid gap of up to ten seconds and made her unbridgeable with Elisa powering to victory in the last 10 kilometres.
The last hundred metres were those of joy and satisfaction, the perfect ones to launch the last rush of an incredible season and of the memorable adventure with the Trek family.
Elisa’s reaction
Today it was a beautiful race, although after the cold I suffered through at the Worlds in Zurich, I would have liked some sunshine. For me it is always a pleasure to race and win in my country, wearing the tricolore jersey. It always has a special feeling, I never get tired of it.
Today, I particularly wanted to win. These [today and then Simac Tour] are my last days with Lidl-Trek. Today, was the last race with Ina in the team car. I want to close this chapter in the best possible way. And then, there was also Luca [Guercilena] with us at the race. He clearly asked us to win, I couldn’t, and didn’t want, to disappoint him [laughing].
Of the four victories at Giro dell’Emilia, I think the first one was the most beautiful, also because back in the day [2015] I didn’t win often… Today’s was different, because usually everything is resolved in the final climb to San Luca, whereas today I managed to go alone on the descent and then, seeing that the gap was big enough, I took the chance to ride straight to the finish. I love the Giro dell’Emilia, I think it is one of the most beautiful races, a true autumn classic. I am happy that the organizers took up my suggestion to make it more challenging. Putting a climb in the middle was impossible, so the double climb of San Luca was a winning choice.
Despite the tough conditions, I had good feelings all day. That’s certainly not to be taken for granted at the end of the season, when you feel the fatigue of the whole year setting in. I still have the Simac Tour to race and I want to do my best to help the team achieve something great again. Besides, I like riding bike, racing and doing it while always aiming for the biggest goal, whether it’s mine or the team’s.
If I think back to myself a year ago, I was an athlete that needed to be rebuilt, who got tired within an hour of riding. I never imagined I would have such an important season, the best of my career, and still be here fighting.
