Trofeo Alfredo Binda – Comune di Cittiglio - Hub
The biggest talking points ahead of Trofeo Alfredo Binda
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Race Notes
- The peloton race 139km from Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca to Cittiglio
- Decisive ascents to Casale and four times over Orino before the descent into Cittiglio
- Flurry of attacks throughout the day
- Trio of riders brought back in last 30km
- Van Anrooij stays away after well-timed attack with 24km to go
Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of Trofeo Alfredo Binda!
I'm Matilda and I'll be here to guide you through all the action from the oldest women's Classic.
The peloton will be getting ready for the start in Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca now.
It's a warmer day than the snowy Ronde van Drenthe last weekend - the temperature is around 15 °C in Cittiglio today.
Starting in Maccagno, the peloton will start off hugging the shores of Lake Maggiore before turning inland towards Cittiglio and the climbs.
They'll do four laps of the 17.5km finishing circuit, which includes the climbs to Orino and Casale.
There are a couple of climbs in the first portion of the day - chiefly the Masciago Primo, 5.1km at 4.6% - but as they're pretty far out, it will be the repeated hilly laps that should be decisive.
There are also three sprint points at kms 23, 54 and 74.
Trofeo Binda is a rare women's WorldTour race that also have a juniors race.
That race concluded not long ago, and was won by Great Britain's Cat Ferguson.
To update you on the start list: Elisa Longo Borghini isn't here today after suffering from Covid, and SD Worx's Barbara Guarischi is a late drop out.
In positive news, Marta Cavalli is set to start after taking a break from racing, and Marianne Vos is also lining up again after surgery on her iliac artery.
Vos has won Trofeo Binda four times, but this may be more a test of form for the Dutch woman who hasn't raced since cyclocross nationals in January.
"The Trofeo Alfredo Binda is a race that I love to ride," she said recently. "The first race of the season always brings a few extra nerves. I'm looking forward to starting the race with the team."
The teams are ready for the start:
🚩 | We're five minutes from the start of the 24th Trofeo Alfredo Binda!#TrBinda #UCIWWTFollow the race live: https://t.co/CwYgWZWoc5 pic.twitter.com/lXBF2L5ojzMarch 19, 2023
This is a race that is well-suited to puncheurs - Elisa Longo Borghini, Lizzie Deignan and Kasia Niewiadoma are among its winners - but there are quite a few sprinters lining up today.
Elisa Balsamo won in 2022, or could Lorena Wiebes survive the climbs to notch up yet another win for her and SD Worx?
The neutral start has just been given and the peloton is rolling out of Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca.
4km to go until the real start.
This is the 24th time the Trofeo Alfredo Binda has featured on the top-level women's calendar, but it's been going a lot longer than that.
It was first raced in 1974, making it the oldest race on the current women's calendar.
Some big questions to be answered today at the 7th round of the Women's WorldTour.
Can SD Worx continue their winning streak? Will the Italians flood the podium again? Cyclingnews discussed the biggest talking points in our Trofeo Binda preview.
OFFICIAL START GIVEN
And the flag has dropped!
We're away and racing - 139km to go.
One late non-starter: Jayco-AlUla's Kristen Faulkner won't be racing today.
It's been quite a week for Faulkner after she was handed a disqualification for wearing a glucose monitor at Strade Bianche.
That means we've got 135 riders racing today.
How many of them will contest the finish? This race can come down to anything from a sizeable bunch sprint to a long solo move.
There's a small rise in the first 20km that could be a launchpad for a breakaway to go.
Or the peloton may not split until the first categorised climb, which starts in 30km.
Remember, the circuits don't start until 68km has already been completed, so we could see something of a race of two halves.
No word from the team as to why Kristen Faulkner didn't start this morning, but she crashed during Wednesday's Nokere Koerse so may be still feeling the effects.
Some thoughts from Marianne Vos at the start this morning:
🦊 | Today's Trofeo Binda marks the first road race for Marianne Vos this year. Vos won the race three times already. Will she add a fourth trophy to her trophy cabinet today?@marianne_vos @JumboVismaWomen @TrofeoBinda #TrBinda #UCIWWT pic.twitter.com/aT0MkmtKlWMarch 19, 2023
About 5km completed here and no break yet.
There are four former winners in this race today: Vos, Elisa Balsamo, Kasia Niewiadoma and Coryn Labecki.
Will we see a repeat winner or a new name added to the list?
With quite a few fast finishers riding today, it will be interesting to see how the teams race this.
Teams like SD Worx and Trek-Segafredo would be better suited to keeping the race together for their sprinters, rather than trying to send an attacker up the road - especially in the absence of Lotte Kopecky and Elisa Longo Borghini.
We're 10km in and hitting that first uncategorised rise now.
As the road ramps up, the attacks are starting.
The race is turning away from the lake's shores now. All still together, but plenty of activity in the front of the bunch.
Certainly some happier faces in Italy than there were in snowy Drenthe!
#TrBinda 🇮🇹When the mood is good! ✌️ pic.twitter.com/C3Hie4YZhAMarch 19, 2023
About 5km to go until the first intermediate sprint at Brissago Valtravaglia.
Half an hour of racing and no break yet.
We've got the sprint coming and then the first categorised climb in just over 10km.
In the future, this weekend could feature another women's race in Italy, as the possibility of a women's Milan-Sanremo has resurfaced this month.
Annemiek van Vleuten is a fan of the idea - the longer the better in her view.
120KM TO GO
Still all together in the bunch, and sounds like the attacks may have abated.
There's still a lot of tough racing to go, so the peloton may be taking it somewhat easy to start with.
Just coming to the intermediate sprint now - will someone make a break for it?
Some interesting SD Worx + Trofeo Binda stats here!
Will they continue their winning streak today?
Despite their success so far in 2023, #TrBinda hasn't been much of an SD Worx race in the last 5 editionsThere's just Chantal vd Broek-Blaak's podium in 2018 as the only top-3 resultIn contrast, 2014-2016 saw Lizzie Deignin finish 2nd-1st-1st for the then Boels-Dolmans team pic.twitter.com/C670blYq9cMarch 19, 2023
Attack by three riders in the peloton!
They have a few seconds on the bunch.
Seems like it's more than a few seconds already - reportedly a 30 second gap for the trio.
It's Gaia Masetti (AG Insurance - Soudal Quick-Step), Letizia Brufani (Bepink) and Giorgia Bariani (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) who are up the road.
INTERMEDIATE SPRINT 1
It's Giorgia Bariani who takes the win at the first intermediate sprint.
Counter attack in the peloton: Thị Thật Nguyễn (Israel Premier Tech Roland) is on the move.
Nguyễn is about 10 seconds ahead of the bunch, 20 seconds behind the leaders.
About 7km away from the first categorised climb of the day, the Masciago Primo.
At 5.1km in length with an average gradient of 4.6%, it may be too far out to be decisive but it's not an easy climb.
Nguyễn has been reabsorbed by the peloton - always hard to close a gap like that solo.
The break is hitting the base of the Masciago climb now.
Will their 30 second lead survive the ascent?
It may be the Italians dominating the break, but it was nice to see Nguyễn, the peloton's only Vietnamese rider, having a go too.
It's Jumbo-Visma who are controlling things and leading the bunch up the climb, making sure the leaders' advantage stays slim.
They've got two former winners here in Marianne Vos and Coryn Labecki.
BREAKAWAY CAUGHT
And just like that, the attackers are caught on the climb.
Sounds like the peloton are pushing it hard as there are some splits coming already.
Around 15 riders are in a front group after a split in the peloton.
We're about halfway done with this climb now.
At the top, there's a few kilometres of plateau and then a 7km descent.
Four riders are now attacking towards the top of the climb.
Big names in this move: it's Gaia Realini (Trek-Segafredo), Anna Shackley (SD Worx), Kim Cadzow (Jumbo-Visma) and Pauliena Rooijakkers (Canyon-SRAM).
These four have a gap on a bigger group, with the peloton another handful of seconds behind again.
The leaders have crested the top of the climb now, with Realini taking first place on the QoM point.
Onto the plateau now and the leading quartet have a 20 second advantage.
Some real confusion over who the fourth rider in this move is!
Sounds like it is in fact Pauliena Rooijakkers.
BREAKAWAY CAUGHT
That was a strong move, but seems like the peloton weren't happy to let them go - the attackers have been caught.
100KM TO GO
Onto the descent, and then there's another intermediate sprint at Besozzo in around 13km.
Lots of action already, and it's still over 25km before we reach the local circuits!
For even the best descenders, it's a big ask to be attacking on a downhill, so it's no wonder the peloton is all together again now.
After this descent, there's a flat portion - with the sprint - and then we're up and over another uncategorised climb.
With the circuits starting just after that climb, it's pretty much up and down all the way to the line now.
Once the peloton hit the circuits, the Orino climb comes 7km after the Casale climb, and then after Orino it's only 10km until they're back on the Casale.
Basically, the climbs come thick and fast.
Olympic champion Anna Kiesenhofer is showing off her gold helmet today in Italy
50km completed and it's all together once again.
Sprint to come, then we're climbing again.
INTERMEDIATE SPRINT 2
It's Amber Kraak (Jumbo-Visma) who crosses the line first to win the second intermediate sprint.
Seems like Jumbo-Visma are working hard to control the front of the bunch.
Some shots from the descent.
With 7.5km mainly downhill to the line, you have to be a pretty good descender to win this race.
And after a brief respite, the peloton is climbing again!
This rise is uncategorised, but it's a good few kilometres of uphill at a decent gradient.
80KM TO GO
Definitely a bit of a lull here after an active start to the day.
But as soon as we hit the circuits, the race is sure to light up again.
UAE Team ADQ had a visitor at the start this morning!
At @TrofeoBinda a special guest visit us. Thank you @TamauPogi @TeamEmiratesUAE📸 Manuela Heres#TrofeoBinda #UAETeamADQ #UnitedToBeStronger #WeRideToInspire pic.twitter.com/e447Z6CleFMarch 19, 2023
The peloton are onto the descent now, and heading towards the finish line to start the laps.
Remember, its a 17.5km lap and they'll complete it four times - so that's four times up both the Casale and Orino climbs.
70KM TO GO
We're onto the laps!
All is still together, and they'll be tackling the Casale climb very soon.
Here's what the race is looking like - no huge sense of urgency in the bunch just yet.
@TrofeoBinda km 65 all together #TrofeoBinda #UAETeamADQ #UnitedToBeStronger #WeRideToInspire pic.twitter.com/Dc0tp73nUNMarch 19, 2023
That's the first ascent to Casale completed.
Just seven more climbs to go before the finish...
We've got the third sprint coming up now between Casale and Orino.
Brodie Chapman showing off her Australian national champs jersey!
Chapman will likely be doing a job for Elisa Balsamo today.
Over the top of Casale, it was Gaia Realini who once again crossed the QoM line first.
Could this be a day for the young Italian?
After ceding a win in the UAE Tour to her teammate Elisa Longo Borghini, Realini took a win in the 1.1 Trofeo Oro in Euro earlier this month, so she's not a stranger to winning.
CRASH IN PELOTON
Kim Cadzow (Jumbo-Visma), Alena Ivanchenko (UAE Team ADQ) and Tamara Dronovoa (Israel Premier Tech Roland) have all gone down in a crash in the bunch.
That crash is a real shame for the Kiwi Kim Cadzow. This is her first WorldTour race, and she was looking strong on the attack earlier.
Nearing the top of the first passage of the Orino climb now.
60KM TO GO
More than half the race completed now and we're onto the toughest roads (and climbs!).
Over the top of Orino for the first time, and it's Elise Chabbey (Canyon-SRAM) who takes the QoM.
The Swiss beat Marta Jaskulska (Liv Racing TeqFind) and Amber Kraak (Jumbo-Visma) to the line.
The bunch are heading downhill towards the finish line again now.
Three more laps to do after this.
Despite her long list of wins, Lorena Wiebes has never won here.
However, she did win the junior race back in 2017.
Some detail on the two climbs:
Casale is shorter at 800m in length, but the steepest climb of the day, with an average of 7% but some steeper sections too.
Orino is quite a bit longer at 2.6km, but it averages at 5%. The Orino has historically provided the opportunity for winning moves.
After Orino, the race has broken up slightly and we have a group of nine riders up the road.
Those nine riders are: Riejanne Markus (Jumbo Visma), Shirin van Anrooij (Trek-Segafredo), Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM), Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx), Francesca Barale (Team DSM), Mikayla Harvey (UAE Team ADQ), Caroline Andersson (Liv Racing TeqFind), Paula Patino (Movistar) and Elena Pirrone (Israel Premier Tech Roland).
It's FDJ-SUEZ who are chasing behind.
And thanks to FDJ's work, that move has already been brought back. It was perhaps too strong to be let go.
51KM TO GO
The peloton is strung out and racing hard.
And there's another split!
Led by Esmée Peperkamp (Team DSM), seven riders have a small gap now.
Former winners Kasia Niewiadoma and Marianne Vos are in this move!
Shirin van Anrooij and Mischa Bredewold from the previous move are up here again, but still they only have a handful of seconds advantage.
Full ID on the break: Vos, Niewiadoma, Van Anrooij, Bredewold, Peperkamp, Chabbey and Amialiusik.
They have about 12 seconds.
Yet again, though, FDJ are bringing this back.
A huge pull from Grace Brown shut that gap down in a matter of minutes. All back together.
Teams are taking a minute to assess the situation now, but the attacks will surely keep coming.
The peloton is heavily reduced now, around 40 riders left.
Liv Racing TeqFind are the next team to initiate attack - it's Caroline Andersson again.
We're on Orino for the second time now.
Despite Andersson's efforts, the pace up this climb is too high to break.
Coryn Labecki (Jumbo-Visma) is dropped.
Balsamo and Wiebes are both still in the peloton.
Towards the top we've got another acceleration from Team DSM - it's Eleonora Ciabocco.
It's hard to make these moves stick, but these repeated moves are putting a lot of riders in trouble, and really shrinking the group.
Ciabocco has managed to get away solo here - she has a small gap on the peloton, but will be tough to stay away alone.
Team DSM don't have a sprinter here today, so a small or solo move is their best chance at winning this race.
10 seconds advantage for Ciabocco.
We've got a counter-attack on the go here - it's Karlijn Swinkels from Jumbo-Visma.
Swinkels has now joined Ciabocco - the pair have 15 seconds on the strung-out bunch.
It's yet again FDJ-SUEZ who are on the front of the bunch.
The French team seem intent on getting a result today.
A bit of a calming here as we go through the town of Gemonio, and the cap goes out to 25 seconds.
A few riders have got back into the group on the flat, including Coryn Labecki.
2 LAPS TO GO
Ciabocco and Swinkels are just crossing the finish line now.
Two more laps to go!
Our leading pair have Loes Adegeest (FDJ-SUEZ) chasing them, though the Dutch woman is closer to the bunch than the leaders.
SD Worx are really well represented in the remaining 'peloton' - all five of their starters are in there, including Wiebes.
Ciabocco and Swinkels are climbing up to Casale now.
Adegeest is still in the gap between the leaders and the peloton.
The gap has really gone out here - the bunch is now a minute behind the leaders.
34KM TO GO
Interesting that the bunch have really let this move go.
Are they confident that this will come back, or just taking a breather after a long period of attacks?
Loes Adegeest has joined the leaders, so it's three riders up the road now.
Adegeest's presence is definitely a help to the leaders.
The e-Sports world champion has a big engine to help this trio stay away.
27KM TO GO
The leaders are still holding a 43 second gap.
Relative calm in the reduced peloton.
Heading into the foot of Orino once again - this could shake up the situation once again.
Trek-Segafredo are setting the pace on the climb.
Realini, Van Anrooij, Balsamo and Spratt are lined up on the front of the peloton as we tackle Orino for the third time.
The gap is coming down on the climb - down to 27 seconds now.
Less than 20 seconds of a gap now, Trek-Segafredo has really made it their mission to catch the leaders on this climb.
And there we go - the catch is made on the line that marks the top of the climb.
Shirin van Anrooij is on the attack now!
23KM TO GO
Van Anrooij is out from with a couple of seconds' advantage.
A perfect set up from Trek-Segafredo - they protected Balsamo over the climb, and sent one of their best puncheurs up the road. Lots of options for them.
It's a really small gap for Van Anrooij, but her attack is having the effect of really testing and tiring out the group behind.
Here's that Trek train in action.
Still less than 10 seconds for Van Anrooij, but they're not catching her just yet.
FINAL LAP
Time for the bell!
The peloton are crossing the finish line for the penultimate time - one 17km lap to go.
It's SD Worx who are working to bring this back in favour of Lorena Wiebes.
But with climbers like Anna Shackley and Niamh Fisher-Black having to do that job, it's not exactly an easy task.
Van Anrooij's gap is going out now - closer to 20 seconds! It's only SD Worx who are taking up the chase properly behind.
Attack from Grace Brown (FDJ-SUEZ)!
She's closed gaps already today, can she catch Van Anrooij?
15KM TO GO
Grace Brown isn't really getting anywhere - she's back in the peloton and it's still the bunch vs Van Anrooij going into the last 15km.
Mavi García is taking up the efforts on the front of the peloton now.
García is making the climb really hard and putting a lot of riders in trouble!
Wiebes is distanced, with Balsamo just about hanging on.
Van Anrooij is alone over the top of the climb, but the chase is going hard now.
Van Anrooij is onto the descent now.
She'll have to use all her technical skills here to stay away - though a poorly paced moto has impeded her a little already.
A lot of riders have been dropped from the chasing group - including seemingly all of the SD Worx riders.
Balsamo is in there, though.
Not a lot of organisation in the chase, which plays into Van Anrooij's hands.
A DSM rider is attacking, with Niewiadoma following.
11KM TO GO
It could be very touch and go here - Van Anrooij is hovering around 10 seconds ahead.
The final ascent to Orino will prove decisive.
Elise Chabbey is attacking, as the rest of the riders in the group look at each other.
Chabbey is caught again, and Van Anrooij's advantage is going back out again.
There's just no clear team chasing in this group.
Marta Cavalli is leading the chase, but the gap isn't coming down - 25 seconds for our solo leader Shirin van Anrooij.
García is accelerating once again - it was her efforts earlier that broke this group apart.
Just hitting the bottom of the climb now, so still a chance for things to change.
But Van Anrooij has 30 seconds now! The biggest gap she's had all day.
García is looking strong, but the Spanish champion can't make this catch on her own, and she's not getting much support.
Vos is now slipping out of the chasing group.
It looks like a mechanical for Marianne Vos.
A shame for her first race back to end this way.
Van Anrooij is possibly fading a little on this climb, her lead is coming down a couple of seconds.
It's a rotation of Ghekiere, Cavalli and García who are putting in the efforts behind.
Ricarda Baurnfeind (Canyon-SRAM) is trying to attack, but not getting much distance on this climb.
Some fast riders left in this group - Persico, Balsamo and Paladin - but it's seeming less likely that they'll get their chance to sprint for the win.
6KM TO GO
Van Anrooij has 15 seconds to defend, but it's all downhill or flat to the finish.
Can she do it?
5KM TO GO
Big turn from Juliette Labous for Team DSM, but this gap just isn't shifting.
If she holds on, this will be Van Anrooij's first pro win on the road.
What a way to do it!
It's advantage Van Anrooij here because the chasers are just looking at each other.
Another push from Labous, but none of these pulls are particularly sustained or effective.
3KM TO GO
Over 20 seconds for Van Anrooij. It looks like the win is going to be hers!
Even the most organised chase would struggled to close 27 seconds in 2.5km - and this chase is far from organised.
With Balsamo and Spratt both in the group, Trek are basically neutralising any efforts behind.
FINAL KM
Van Anrooij is under the flamme rouge!
She should have time to celebrate what is a huge win for the young rider.
VAN ANROOIJ WINS
It's victory for Van Anrooij after nearly 25km solo!
A huge ride from the young rider, after an impressive tactical execution from Trek-Segafredo.
And it's an even sweeter day for Trek-Segafredo as Balsamo makes it a 1-2 on the line.
Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ-SUEZ) comes home third.
All smiles at the finish for Trek.
Missing Elisa Longo Borghini was clearly no issue for the team, and they win this race three years in a row with three different riders.
This is Shirin van Anrooij's first win of any level as a pro on the road, but it's even bigger to take it in a WorldTour Classic, one of the oldest at that.
Domination has to end somewhere: SD Worx finish with no one in the top-10 after all their riders missed the decisive split.
Sounds like it wasn't exactly the plan for Van Anrooij to stay away, but she was just so strong on the day.
"I actually just can't believe it," she said. It's my first ever win for the team. It has always been one of my favourite races but I don't know, I never expected to stay away. I just expected them to come back and for Barzi [Elisa Balsamo] to win the sprint, and somehow I managed to win this race."
Here's your confirmed top-10:
The winning moment!
VICTORY FOR SHIRIN VAN ANROOIJ!There she is. What a solo! Amazing effort by Shirin van Anrooij to win the 24th Trofeo Alfredo Binda!#TrBinda #UCIWWT pic.twitter.com/Bp0hG5AYAiMarch 19, 2023
And the winning shot.
If you missed any of the action today, check here for the full report.
And that's me signing off!
The Women's WorldTour is back on Thursday with the Classic Burgge-De Panne.
