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Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling’s Elisa Longo Borghini has finished in third place on the top of the Col d’Izoard, one of the most mythical mountain passes in cycling, in La Course by Le Tour de France. The Italian Champion finished just one minute and 23 seconds behind race winner Annemiek van Vleuten (Orica-Scott), with British Champion Lizzie Deignan (Boels-Dolmans) taking second on the 2360 metre high finish. 
“I'm happy about my result considering that after the Giro I haven't trained and I felt pretty tired,” Longo Borghini said afterwards. “Today was very nice to climb up the Izoard which is a historic climb for the Tour de France.” Longo Borghini was part of a select group that formed as the peloton rapidly thinned out on the steadily steepening slopes of the Col d’Izoard. She was supported for some time by teammates Claudia Lichtenberg and Audrey Cordon-Ragot but, as the group was whittled down to just the favourites, she was left with just the leaders from other teams. Van Vleuten escaped with just over four kilometres to go and Longo Borghini followed at her own pace. As she approached the iconic “Casse Déserte” the Italian Champion was in fourth place, behind Shara Gillow (FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine-Futuroscope) but she managed to ride past the Australian. 
There was a late challenge from Deignan’s teammate Megan Guarnier, but Longo Borghini held off the American to take her place on the podium. “I had to manage my ascent,” Longo Borghini explained. “I looked at my SRM powermeter and always went steady. I’m not a rider who’s expecting to attack, especially on a long climb - especially if it’s at altitude - so I think I was smart.” With her third place on the mythical Col, Longo Borghini has earned an invitation to the second stage of this year’s La Course, which will take the form of a chase-style time trial in the city of Marseille. Riding on the same course as the men’s Tour de France once again, the Italian Time Trial Champion will start the 22.5km course a minute and 23 seconds behind van Vleuten, with the first rider to cross the line declared the winner. “Thinking about how many kilos of ice cream I ate after the Giro, I’m pretty satisfied!” Longo Borghini laughed. "I'm now heading to Marseilles for the TT relay and I'm looking forward to it." 
“It will be fun!” Race Photo Credit: Anton Vos Result |
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