Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) won the Trofeo Oro in Euro on Sunday, just one day after her runner-up performance at Strade Bianche Women. Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) surged for second place from the chase group of six riders, 32 seconds back, leaving several bike lengths between her and third-placed Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health).
The Italian champion jumped out of the saddle and attacked from a reduced front group on the second and final Fortezza climb (3.5km at 5.5%) with 13.5km to go and held on for the solo victory. It was her first victory of the season, and a return to the top step at Trofeo Oro since she won in 2012.
It was a rainy day for the one-day race, with Coryn Labecki (EF Education-Cannondale) and Fernanda Anabel Yapura (Team Komugi-Grand Est) trying to go clear on the first ascent of Fortezza with 35km to go.
By the time the riders approached the the second and final pass of the Fortezza, only 10 riders were still engaged for the assault, UAE Team ADQ having three riders in the group with Swinkels, Silvia Persico and Erica Magnaldi. Riding with Longo Borghini was teammate Gaia Realini, while Cofidis had the duo of Julie Bego and Nikola Nosková. Edwards, Solbjørk Minke Anderson (Uno X Mobility) and Kim Cadzow (EF Education-Cannondale) had no teammates.
Marta Lach (Ceratizit WNT) was able to bridge to the front group as a few fell back, then Realini increased the pace. This move launched Longo Borghini, who soared on the attack to victory.
"Today's goal was to support the team and race for Gaia [Realini], but when the rain became intense, she started to suffer from the cold. By mutual agreement, we swapped roles so not to miss out on the team's ultimate goal: winning," Longo Borghini said in team statement.
"I wanted to get a solo win, I wanted to test myself after a tiring day at Strade Bianche, to see what I could do. Breaking away from that group wasn't easy, however, and that makes me even more satisfied."
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