Roubaix (France) (AFP) - Elisa Longo Borghini of Trek-Segafredo won the Paris-Roubaix women's race on Saturday after a 124km run featuring 17 sections of cobbled mining roads, while teammate and world champion Elisa Balsamo was disqualified.
The 30-year-old Italian champion powered to a solo triumph after taking the lead with 30km to go with a blistering turn of pace just after a previous break had been caught.
However, it was a miserable day for fellow Trek rider Balsamo who was disqualified for an illegal tow from her team car following a puncture.
Lotte Kopecky of SD Worx won the sprint for second in the Roubaix velodrome, while Lucinda Brand of Trek-Segafredo was third as six riders finished just 23 seconds behind Longo Borghini.
The Olympic bronze medallist let out a long scream and burst into tears of joy before dedicating the win to her family and her Trek team.
"I haven't been well or performing as I know I can," she said.
"I didn't think I was ready, I didn't think that I wanted to do it.They kept saying, 'We know you are ready and capable of doing this.' I have to say that they were right," she said.
The winner also had sympathy for Balsamo.
"This is a little bit for Elisa Balsamo, who was disqualified.The rule is the rule, but you still feel a little bit sorry," said Longo Borghini.
It was a second straight win for Trek after British rider Lizzie Deignan triumphed in a deluge in 2021.
In stark contrast to last year's mud-fest, the second edition of the women's race was contested in dry conditions and clouds of dust caused by many riders using the dirt paths that run alongside the cobbled sections in the flat fields that skirt the Belgian border.
Pre-race favourite Marianne Vos tested positive for Covid on Saturday morning and missed the race.
Longo Borghini's winnings are also in stark contrast to those of Deignan after this year's massive increase in prize money to 20,000 euros ($21,600) instead of the 1,535 euros on offer for the win just a year ago.
