Elise Chabbey (FDJ United-SUEZ) won the women’s Strade Bianche in a sprint of four riders, beating Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) to the line through the streets of Siena. Franzisca Koch (FDJ United-Suez) rounded out the podium by holding off Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ).
A first move by Chabbey and Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ) went on the first passage of the Le Tolfe uphill gravel sector, but was caught by a small group with 40km to go. There were attacks aplenty, but eventually, nine riders entered the crucial second passage of Le Tolfe together.
“I have so many emotions, I cannot realise this right now, I will need some days. It’s good I got three weeks at altitude planned, I will have time to realise there. Wow, it’s just amazing,” said Chabbey after her victory.
When Demi Vollering suffered a mechanical on the first passage of Le Tolfe, and then took a wrong turn in the chase group, FDJ United-SUEZ switched focus to Chabbey and Koch who were still in the front group.
“I had already done some efforts before, I was in the break, and I was really on the limit so many times. In my head, I was like ‘I just want to give up’. But then I thought, ‘no, for Demi who is behind and for all the work that my teammates did, I need to go to the finish’….
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