Elisa Balsamo won her first home win in the rainbow jersey at Trofeo Binda on Sunday, winning the sprint by a group of about 20 women.
It was an imperious arrival of the Italian who was hidden by her team for the entire race. After her Trek-Segafredo team-mates eventually brought her eight miles back to the front group, she was in the final bend around the 10th wheel, about 250m from the line.
After her team’s tactical masterclass, the 24-year-old set up a sprint masterclass, remained hidden until she began her sprint about 100 meters later, with apparent ease to get over the top.
It was an all-Italian podium, with Sofia Bertizzolo (UAE Team ADQ) finishing about two bike lengths in second place, and the Soraya Paladin (Canyon-SRAM) third.
Balsamo only reached the front group on the descent of the last climb, escorted to the wheels by three Trek-Segafredo teammates to the top. A later move by SD Worx’s Swiss champion Marlen Reusser took full advantage of their resources, and it was the European time trial champion who took the lead in the last corner.
It was another relaxing Women’s WorldTour Course. Not only was the early outbreak prevented as the race was briefly stopped and neutralized, it was signed by almost perpetual attack.
While the course followed a pattern, with the first climb on the closing circle, which brought short-term attacks, and the longer second climbers brought more sustained movements, the course was wonderfully unpredictable.
How it happened
With this year’s 46th edition, the Trofeo Binda is the oldest race on the Women’s WorldTour calendar, and while it has been portrayed as one for climbing, it is more traditionally won by aggressive opportunists, or punchy sprinters.
Of the two previous winners who were present on Sunday, Coryn Labecki (Jumbo-Visma) is from the last group, while the double victory Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo), the defending champion, is among the former, and just a short ferry ride across Lake Maggiore from home.
Based around the village of Cittiglio, birthplace of four-time Giro winner Alfredo Binda, the 2022 edition of the nearby town of Cocquio Trevisago took place for the 141.8 km race. The race started with a winding path to cross the finish line at Cittiglio, before a long loop followed by four smaller ones.
Each of these shorter loops grabbed the signature of the race at Orino, the top of the last climb coming just eight miles from the finish line.
After less than 10 km, Gulnaz Khatuntseva, driving under a neutral flag for the new Roland Cogea’s Edelweiss squad, escaped and built a gap of more than a minute. Shortly after the climb to Caldana, however, she got Michaela Drummond (BePink) and Giorgia Vettorello (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo), the trio who passed after 27km in Cittiglio with a 1-30 lead.
At the far eastern end of the long circuit, the gap began to come down, but before the eruption was captured, the race was neutralized, an accident between two vehicles outside the roll bubble of the race blocked the road. With the closure to stay in place, organizers were forced to make new runs, even though the last four rounds were unaffected. After remarking, the lead of the outburst, which was shortened to just 30 seconds, expanded once again, the trio taking a lead of 1-45 on the four laps and the last 70 kilometers in the lead.
However, on the first ascent of Orino Khatuntseva and Vettorello were captured, Drummond was left alone, and although she was briefly pursued by her New Zealand compatriot, Mikayla Harvey (Canyon-SRAM) returned to Cittiglio as one.
Early on in the second short, Brodie Chapman (FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope) attacked, leading a group of eight to Orino. With Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ), Soraya Paladin (Canyon-SRAM), Shirin van Anrooij (Trek-Segafredo), Amanda Spratt (BikeExchange-Jayco), Karlijn Swinkels (Jumbo-Visma), Paula Patiño (Movistar) and Brit, Anna Shackley (SDWorx) many of the strongest WorldTour teams were represented, leaving only to pursue Team DSM.
They did not hesitate, however, as the slopes went up, the former German champion Liane Lippert turned, and the lead, which arrived 30 seconds, was almost immediately closed. What emerged, however, was a group of only about 40 women, the race becoming increasingly aggressive.
After Magnaldi was last part of the break for the last time, Magnaldi went back to the painful round, allowing the 29-year-old doctor to take a small lead on the Orino ascent. She could not resist, however, and after Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope) grabbed the peloton on the climb, Swiss champion Marlen Reusser (SDWorx), another doctor, took a slim lead on the descent. .
Last year’s winner, Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo), Elise Chabbey (Canyon-SRAM), another doctor, and Uttrup Ludwig caught the Reusers as they crossed the 17.6km lap at the start of the last. Line are crossed. But the group would not collaborate, Longo Borghini apparently rode for Balsamo, and they were quickly caught.
As with all previous ascents, the last ascent to Orino brought more action, and a group of seven climbed over the top for the last eight kilometers. However, with Trek-Segafredo not out of the lead and set to race for Balsamo, the US team has reunited the race for a sprint finish.
The Grace Lister was the best British rider in the junior race, the opening round of the UCI Nations Cup. The national team represents them fifth behind Francesca Pellegrini (Valcar Travel and Service U19).
Result
Trofeo Alfredo Binda Commune de Cittiglio 2022: Cocquio Trevisago – Cittiglio (141.8km)
1. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo, 3-36-29
2. Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) UAE Team ADQ
3. Soraya Paladin (Ita) Canyon-SRAM
Chantal van den Broek Blaak (Ned) SD Worx
5. Elena Cecchini (Ita) SD Worx
6. Coryn Labecki (USA) Jumbo-Visma
7. Elise Chabbey (Sui) SD Worx
8. Silvia Persico (Ita) Valcar Travel and Service
9. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
10. Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (RSA) SD Worx, all at the same time
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