In a late-minute surprise, Puck Pieterse will take the start of the 27th edition of the Trofeo Alfredo Binda - Comune di Cittiglio, one of the most prestigious spring Classics on the Women's WorldTour, on Sunday.
Her team, Fenix-Premier Tech, announced the news on social media: "We have a little surprise to kick off the weekend. Puck Pieterse has added the WorldTour one-day race Trofeo Alfredo Binda to her program."
In 2024, in her debut at the race, Pieterse sprinted to third behind Elisa Balsamo from a reduced bunch of 25. Last year, she attacked repeatedly, the last time with four kilometres to go, and ultimately finished seventh as Balsamo claimed the win again.
Following her bronze medal at the 2026 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, the multi-discipline rider turned her attention to the road, finishing sixth at Strade Bianche and placing fifth at Trofeo Oro in Euro.
One of women's cycling's most enduring fixtures, the Trofeo Alfredo Binda has been a staple of the calendar since 1974, skipping just three editions in the half-century since. Though Balsamo is not on the start list, Pieterse will face major competition in a quest to stand on the top step of the podium.
After the start in Luino on the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore, the riders will face six classified climbs and five final circuits over the 152.2 kilometres before the finish in Cittiglio.
Joining the 23-year-old Dutchwoman at the start line will be the 2026 Cyclo-Cross World Championships silver medalist Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, making her road season debut, Lotte Claes, Yara Kastelijn, Flora Perkins and Carina Schrempf.
