Elisa Longo Borghini Wins Eighth Italian Time Trial Title
Elisa Longo Borghini wrapped up her racing season by claiming her eighth Italian individual time trial title in Piasco, cyclingnews.com reported, after a late-season schedule shift reduced the elite women's starting field to just five riders. The UAE Team ADQ rider completed the 19.7-kilometer flat and fast course in 23 minutes and 15 seconds, averaging 50.839 km/h to reclaim the tricolore jersey after finishing as the runner-up over the previous two years.
The Italian Cycling Federation pushed the junior, under-23, and elite women’s national time trial championships back from their original June slot, announcing the new date and location in the province of Cuneo on October 8. While the elite men’s time trial went ahead as scheduled in Barolo in June with Filippo Ganna taking the win for Netcompany Ineos, the rescheduled women’s event suffered a stark drop in participation. Only five riders lined up in Piasco, compared to the 21 competitors who contested the championship in June of the previous year, and previous titleholder Vittoria Guazzini of Fdj United-Suez did not defend her crown.
How the Piasco Course Unfolded
The out-and-back route in Piasco featured 102 meters of climbing, directing riders toward Costigliole Saluzzo before sending them through two laps of a 6.7-kilometer circuit. Longo Borghini dominated the flat terrain to secure the victory by a comfortable margin. Alessia Vigilia of Uno-X Mobility finished second, crossing the line 54 seconds behind the winner, while Letizia Borghesi of AG Insurance-Soudal took third place, trailing by one minute and three seconds according to cyclingnews.com results. Vittoria Bussi placed fourth for Team Essere, and Carmen Moser rounded out the top five for Horizons Cycling Club – Team 1971.
Reflecting on the unusual calendar placement, Longo Borghini addressed her victory in a team release carried by cyclingnews.com. I’m very happy to have won another Italian National Championship because I believe it’s a race that should always be honoured, even though this year it came at the end of a very long season,
she said. It was a title I really wanted, because wearing the Italian champion’s jersey is always an honour. I’ll be happy to wear it next year in some of the biggest races on the WorldTour calendar.
Under-23 Results and Season Context
In the under-23 competition, Giada Silo of UAE Development Team claimed the national time trial honors. Silo added this victory to her earlier success in June, where she secured the Italian under-23 road race title.
Longo Borghini’s victory in Piasco caps a demanding campaign that included fourth-place finishes in the individual time trial at both the World Championships and European Championships, alongside a gold medal for Italy in the mixed relay at the Worlds. Earlier in the year, she secured her seventh Italian road race title in June, placed third at the Tour de France Femmes, and earned a bronze medal in the road race at the World Championships. Her historical record in the national time trial includes previous victories in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.