When Elisa Longo Borghini arrived at this year’s Giro, she was the two time and defending champion. The accomplished Italian racer was also fighting her way back from a serious illness that derailed her spring campaign. That combination of a home tour, expectations and less-than-perfect preparation can be hard on a rider so used to winning.
Longo Borghini, though, managed to finish off her Giro d’Italia with a flourish. The UAE-Team ADQ captain won Sunday’s final stage in a thrilling sprint out of a select group of riders. That included eventual overall winner, Demi Vollering. It was one of the most thrilling final stages of a Grand Tour we’ve seen in recent years, especially compared to the usual procession men’s racing opts for on final days.
For Longo Borghini, the win meant something more.
“I love this sport too much to give up and surrender”
After her win, the Italian told cameras that, while she’s still not back to full strength, she “didn’t want to leave this Giro without leaving a mark.”
Longo Borghini stuck with the GC leaders as they battled for position after a shortened penultimate stage, and held onto the group even as it dropped the pink jersey of Anna van der Breggen. When the group arrived at the finish, Longo Borghini emerged triumphant in a sprint finish.
“I felt this anger inside me, I thought, I have nothing to lose. I don’t care about GC. I just want to go and do it for my teammates that are simply amazing. I just wanted to win, it was the only thing I was thinking today,” Longo Borghini shared. “This mean’s much more than a win. This is a comeback. I don’t hide that i’ve been vulnerable these couple months, both with my body and also with my mind. There are days when I thought it would not come back.”
A victory for a retiring teammate
While all eyes were on the Italian, she was quick to thank her teammate Alena Amialiusik. The women’s peloton is celebrating the careers of several prominent riders that are retiring after the 2026 season. Longo Borghini wanted to make sure her teammate’s name was alongside theirs on the record.
“We celebrated a lot of riders that are finishing their career. But one rider that is never mentioned is one of the riders that is one of the best domestiques in the world, Alena [Amialiusik]. This victory is for her. It’s her last Giro. next year she will stop, so thank you very much for everything you did for me.”
“When you don’t have the legs, you have to use your head and use your heart”
After saying that she is still not 100 per cent recovered from injury, Longo Borghini shared how she managed to find the finish line ahead of an illustrious quartet of racers.
“When you don’t have the legs, you have to use your head and use your heart. The heart can do a lot. The will can do a lot. In the end, we are humans. It’s fine to lose. It’s fine also to be on your knees, then stand up and put your chin up and fight with pride.”
Inspirational words from a true champion.