Longo Borghini wins world bronze in the elite road race

For Longo Borghini it is the fourth world bronze in his career in the elite road race. A third place like at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Hers is also the fifth Italian medal in this world championship event after the gold won in the mixed relay, the time trial silvers of Filippo Ganna (Elite) and Nicolas Milesi (Under 23) and that of Matilde Rossignoli in the road race (juniors), awaiting the men's road race tomorrow.

The race

Today was an eventful race, marked by crashes and counterattacks. The first attempts that took the form of a breakaway were by Marte Berg Edseth (Norway), Natalie Quinn (United States), Beatriz Roxo (Portugal) and Gergana Stoyanova (Bulgaria). 120 kilometers from the finish line the gap reached more than four minutes, but on the first climb only the Norwegian and the American remained in the leading group. There were also several falls, among the cyclists involved were the Canadian reigning world champion Magdeleine Vallieres and the Spanish Paula Blasi, winner of the Vuelta a España and fifth in the Tour de France, both of whom were later forced to withdraw, as well as Kim le Court (Mauritius). 75 kilometers from the finish line, the last escapee was caught and the group was back together, before the new attempt made by the French Maeva Squiban which ignited the fight in the rear. Then Demi Vollering (Netherlands) took over, number 1 favorite and dominator of much of the season. The 2023 world silver medalist immediately gained an advantage of around 15'' over a group of eight pursuers, including Longo Borghini, the only Italian. The Italian (competing with mourning on her arm like her teammates to remember little Nicolò, who died following the tragic road accident in Turin) attempted a counterattack, but was caught, then attacked again at the final lap bell, putting Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney behind her, but right at the top of the Voie Camillien-Houde climb, the hardest, she gave up and went on to take the bronze with Vollering who then beat Niewiadoma-Phinney.