Elisa Balsamo won the Trofeo Alfredo Binda for the third time in Cittiglio on Sunday. Her record in this race is so imp[ressive, taking her first win in 2022, following up last year and now making it a hat trick of wins. Balsamo dominated the sprint, this time beating Hungarian champion from SD Worx Protime Blanka Vas and Movistar’s Cat Ferguson. After the finish Balsamo said: “I know the Trofeo Binda route by heart now, relatives and friends always come here and it’s like racing at home. Today all the top riders were here and I knew it would be tough; there’s no point in trying to stay with them when they sprint uphill. I have to survive and then do my sprint. The three Binda victories were all fantastic. But this one is definitely the most unexpected”.
The race, which started in Luino and ended with the traditional finish line on Via Valcuvia in Cittiglio, involved a long breakaway of 14 riders who had an advantage over the group that was close to a minute and a half. Of the 14, Neve Bradbury (Canyon Sram Zondacryp), Sara Casasola (Fenix Deceuninck) and Ella Wyllie (Liv Alula Jayco) in particular launched attacks and animated the head of the race. However the peloton came all back together after 117km. With 30 km to go, Dominika Wlodarczyk (UAE Emirates) and Magdelaine Valleries (EF Education OATLY) attacked. The race heated up immediately after, with Demi Vollering (FDJ Suez), Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Emirates), Marta Cavalli (Team Picnic Postnl) and Anne Van der Breggen (Team SD Worx Protime) vying to get ahead. A series of attacks and counter-attacks followed until the race regrouped and got ready for the final sprint that was won by Elisa Balsamo.
Result:
1. Elisa Balsamo (Lidl Trek) km 152 in 4h00’19”
2. Blanka Vas (Team Sd Worx Protime)
3. Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team)
4. Marianne Vos (Team Visma Lease a Bike)
5. Letizia Paternoster (Liv Alula Jayco)
6. Noemi Rsegg (EF Education Oatly)
7. Puck Pieterse (Fenix Deceunink)
8. Monica Trinca Colonel (Liv Alula Jayco)
9. Mary Niam Le Court De Billot (AG Insurance Soudal)
10. Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team Emirates)
Trofeo Alfredo Binda – Comune di Cittiglio – winners
2025 Elisa Balsamo (ITA)
2024 Elisa Balsamo (ITA)
2023 Shirin Van Anrooij (NED)
2022 Elisa Balsamo (ITA)
2021 Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA)
2020 No Race
2019 Marianne Vos (NED)
2018 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (POL)
2017 Coryn Rivera (USA)
2016 Elizabeth Armitstead (GBR)
2015 Elizabeth Armitstead (GBR)
2014 Emma Johansson (SWE)
Photo courtesy Getty Images
