Elisa Longo Borghini has become synonymous with the colours of both Trek-Segafredo and Lidl-Trek. The Italian rider, as she admits, “grew up” as part of the American squad, first joining them in 2019 and securing her biggest results wearing their jersey. The Paris-Roubaix win, the overall title at the Giro d’Italia, the second Tour of Flanders and Trofeo Binda victories were all secured as part of the outfit she has called home for the last five years – her story with Trek could have been lifted out of a fairytale.
However, that chapter for Longo Borghini – to the surprise of many – is coming to an end. At the start of 2025, the 32-year-old will officially become part of UAE Team ADQ – a Women’s WorldTour team that was established under its current guise just two years ago, based out of the United Arab Emirates. Given Longo Borghini’s profile as a rider and the relatively small status of UAE Team ADQ compared to some of the powerhouse squads in the women’s peloton, it’s not a transfer that most people expected, but as Longo Borghini tells me, there are tangible reasons for her making the move.
“I’m pretty sure that most people would say ‘she’s gone there for money’ which is not true,” Longo Borghini asserts. “But I let them talk, because it’s always nice when people are talking, and you can laugh because it’s not correct. To be fair, if I had to choose between Lidl-Trek and UAE only for the money, I would have stayed [at Lidl-Trek]. But for me, it’s a young team, it’s a rising team, they are ambitious, and they meet my character. It’s a different mentality compared to western countries, but it’s also a country that wants to grow and the women’s community to have a wealthier and healthier style of life. I really like the idea of helping women to embrace the sport and to get more involved in sports in general.”
It’s true that Longo Borghini is a rider who has never shied away from a challenge. Her biggest wins have come in testing conditions – she took victory at the Tour of Flanders at the start of this season after crashing early on a wet corner and fighting back to the peloton through rain and mud. Her Giro d’Italia pink jersey came after a long and arduous battle with SD Worx-Protime’s Lotte Kopecky, leading to a final stage where the pair were separated by just one second.
“I like challenges and this is a challenge that I want to take on into my career. I think, to be honest, this…