Italian Elisa Longo Borghini climbed to first place on the podium in the Paris-Roubaix women’s race on Saturday April 16. What to win the thirtieth professional victory of her career, the first of the season for the rider of Trek-Segafredo. Here are three things to know about the new cobblestone queen.
Roubaix, a childhood dream
“As I am strongly passionate about cycling, I have always followed this race”explained Elisa Longo Borghini in September 2021, in an interview conducted by the Paris-Roubaix organization. “My first great memory is that of Franco Ballerini entering the velodrome (April 15, 2001) for his last race. When he opened his jersey to show off his knitting ‘Thank you Roubaix’, I was only eleven years old but I was particularly moved.”
ELISA LONGO BORGHINI GETS A MONUMENT!
The Italian wins the second edition of the #ParisRoubaixWomen Of the history
Lotte Kopecky and Lucinda Brand complete the podium. pic.twitter.com/QXyeSOl1n1
— francetvsport (@francetvsport) April 16, 2022
On a raid of thirty kilometers, the The 30-year-old Piedmontese resisted the return of the overpowering SD Worx team, led by Lotte Kopecky, formidable in the event of a group finish. However, the one who came third last year on the Roubais velodrome did not approach this second edition with full confidence. “I was thinking more of another girl in the team on the podium”she said in all humility at the end of the race. “I was still on antibiotics not long ago,” recalled the one who had made the decision to ignore the last races (Amstel Gold Race Ladies, Flèche Brabançonne) to prepare for this Paris-Roubaix as well as possible.
A very complete cyclist
Elisa Longo Borghini has been one of the main figures in the peloton for several years. Over time, she proved that she knew how to climb and that she was very comfortable on the classics. The Italian has already won several major races, even monuments: the Trofeo Alfredo Binda (2013), the Tour of Flanders (2015) and the Strade Bianche (2017). She also won the bronze medal twice at the Olympics, in Rio and Tokyo.
The Italian now adds to her Paris-Roubaix record and her dreaded cobblestones. Perhaps one of the greatest victories of his career. “The pavement, obviously, does not scare me. I am a professional cyclist and I have to adapt to the races that are given to me”she told the organization of Paris-Roubaix a few months before the race. “I know my job, I have to do it, period.”
His only weakness? The sprint. The 30-year-old Piedmontese had to escape alone to win the second women’s edition of L’Enfer du Nord. Already in 2015, she declared after the Tour of Flanders: “I’m always the slowest in a breakaway, so I had to start alone.” What she managed to do on Saturday, escaping 35 kilometers from the finish line.
A family of athletes
Sport is sacred in the Longo Borghini family. His mother, Guidina Dal Sasso, dominated Italian cross-country skiing in the 1980s. In total, she won six individual titles, five in the relay and participated in three Olympic Games. His father was a coach for the Italian cross-country ski team.
Her love for cycling, she owes it above all to her brother. Paolo Longo Borghini was a professional for a decade. He ran Paris-Roubaix in 2008 (80th) and in 2014 (72nd). “I fell in love with cycling thanks to my brother, who is eleven years older than me”she explained to the organization of Paris-Roubaix in September 2021. “He started racing long before me and I then wanted to imitate him, so to compete in Paris-Roubaix after him is great!” Even more so when you win it.