It has the name of an immense champion cyclist. The Italian Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek) won the second edition of Paris-Roubaix Women alone, run this Saturday under the sun over the distance of 124 kilometers. The Italian champion led a 33-kilometer raid to beat a first chasing group set by Belgian champion Lotte Kopecky by 23 seconds. A two-time bronze medalist at the Olympic Games, Longo Borghini (30) took over from her British teammate Lizzie Deignan, who is taking a maternity break this year.
The world champion, the Italian Elisa Balsamo (Trek), was disqualified by the jury of stewards about forty kilometers from the finish for irregular return to the peloton (“stuck can” and extended shelter behind car). Longo Borghini isolated herself a few moments later to lead a 33-kilometre solo raid to the Roubais velodrome. Long endowed with a minimal advantage of around twenty seconds, she benefited from the presence of two teammates (van Dijk, Brand) in the first chasing group.
This second edition of Paris-Roubaix Women, deprived of the Dutchwoman Marianne Vos declared positive for Covid-19, was run under a spring sun unlike the rain and mud encountered last October.