Elisa Balsamo launches unstoppable late sprint for Trofeo Alfredo Binda victory
Italian classic paused and restarted due to crash between non-race vehicles before home star Balsamo wins with searing sprint.
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Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafreodo) took her third victory in the rainbow jersey at Trofeo Alfredo Binda.
The world champion launched a rocketship late sprint from a reduced group to beat Sofia Bertizzolo (UAE ADQ) and Soraya Paladin (Canyon-SRAM) in Cittiglio on Sunday.
The Italian classic had been marked by a mid-race neutralization and an all-attacking final, but Trek-Segafredo looked to have it all under control when a bunch of around 20 riders went charging into the finish.
Balsamo’s teammates covered the moves when the attacks first went flying through the hilly final circuit before Elisa Longo Borhini and Ellen van Dijk shepherded the world champ toward the finish.
Marlen Reusser hammered into the final straight looking to set something up for SD Worx, and her teammate Chantal van den Broek-Blaak lit up extra-early with a huge dragging sprint.
However Balsamo came up late and fast, rounding four riders in the final 100 meters with a blistering sprint that scored her a second victory for Trek-Segafredo and her first at the historic Italian one-dayer.
Van den Broek-Blaak finished fourth after her long sprint faded at the last. American star Coryn Labecki finished sixth in what was her second race with Jumbo-Visma.
Balsamo Elisa (TFS), the World Champion, wins Trofeo Binda – U.C.I. W.W.T. 2022! #TrBinda #UCIWWT pic.twitter.com/lLSnL2Jg67
— Trofeo Binda (@TrofeoBinda) March 20, 2022
A break of three got away early in Sunday’s race, and everything looked to be playing out per the script when organizers were suddenly forced to neutralize the action at around 89km to go.
Two cars not involved in the race crashed on the parcours, forcing officials to pause the pedaling and send both the breakaway and the bunch on a detour around the blocked road before restarting competition.
The race has been neutralized. An accident between two cars in front of the race has occurred. There is no way to pass through at the moment. #TrBinda #UCIWWT
— Trofeo Binda (@TrofeoBinda) March 20, 2022
The re-routing added a handful of kilometers to the route before racers rejoined the traditional four-lap circuit around the Orino climb. The gap between the break and the peloton was maintained when the action restarted, but it made no difference as the escapees were caught as the race entered its decisive final around Orino.
The race exploded soon after the break was neutralized, and a strong group of eight went away before DSM and SD Worx dragged things back together.
The attacks kept flying through the first two circuits, but Jumbo-Visma and FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope didn’t let anything get far.
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) was the first dangerous rider to go, attacking on the penultimate circuit. Marlen Reusser (SD Worx) bridged and dropped the Dane before the decisive 20-rider split came together at around 15km to go.
Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) had been active all day and twice tried to go clear on the fourth of four Orino ascents.
Five riders briefly came across to the Italian inside the final 8km and looked dangerous, but Trek-Segafredo pulled it all back together to bring a score of riders charging into the final Cittiglio sprint.
Yesssssssss 🌈🔥#WeAreATeam #TrBinda pic.twitter.com/8RGo0M36ge
— Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) March 20, 2022
Results will be available once stage has completed.