This yr, Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) is racing her thirteenth Giro d’Italia Women since her first participation in 2011. In that point, she solely wore the maglia rosa as soon as, after crossing the road first together with her staff after they gained the TTT that opened the 2020 version.
Four years on, in Brescia, the Italian Champion as soon as once more donned the maglia rosa, and the enjoyment on her face was clear to see within the TV interview after she obtained the pink chief’s jersey.
“It’s actually thrilling, and I’m so joyful in the mean time. I don’t know, perhaps it will likely be the one day that I’ll get to put on this jersey, however I’ll attempt to honour it. I’ll simply take pleasure in it and race my coronary heart out with my teammates. I’m simply very emotional in the mean time; I’m so proud,” she stated.
Although stage 2 from Sirmione to Volta Mantovana is anticipated to finish in a dash, Longo Borghini will not be taking her maglia rosa as a right.
“The Giro is lengthy. It’s solely the primary day, and we now have a plan for certain; we need to go for GC, however it’s attainable to lose it as a result of the second [Grace Brown] will not be even a second behind me. Tomorrow goes to be one other day, and I’m going to attempt to take pleasure in this maglia rosa to the fullest,” she stated.
Unlike different opening time trials the place the largest names will begin final, lots of the GC favourites went for an early begin time to keep away from the showers that have been forecast for and got here down through the afternoon.
“We made this selection on goal as a result of we noticed the climate forecast, and there was an opportunity of rain halfway by means of the afternoon,” Longo Borghini defined within the media blended zone.
“You’re by no means tremendous assured earlier than a time trial, however I had a pacing, I adopted it, and I knew I may play my recreation there and get a very good outcome. And it has been an excellent outcome,” she laughed.
Even although she gained a person time trial, Longo Borghini identified that it wasn’t solely her effort that delivered the victory, thanking her staff workers.
“It’s not solely about me. It’s about all of the people who find themselves working within the background. There are soigneurs, physios, and sport administrators, they’re all making ready for a time trial, and the day of the time trial is essentially the most hectic one as a result of it’s a must to organise every little thing. The Lidl-Trek workers was working rather a lot, and I’m actually grateful to them,” she stated.
Longo Borghini began the occasion because the favorite to win the general title. Only eight editions of the Giro d’Italia Women have been gained by an Italian rider, 5 of these titles earned by Fabiana Lupperini, so the nation will definitely assist Longo Borghini to deliver the maglia rosa house.
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