Elisa Balsamo planned to make the most of her year as world champion and that is precisely what she did during the 2022 season with Trek-Segafredo.
Balsamo bookended a remarkable year in the rainbow jersey with victories at stage 1 of the Setmana Valenciana in February and on the final stage 5 at the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta on Sunday.
“I really wanted to win today, the last day of this incredible season in the rainbow jersey. I won the first race, in February, at the Setmana Valenciana, and with today’s win it’s like I’m closing a circle. Today’s is a special day, full of emotions. Madrid was a crazy setting,” Balsamo said.
“I am extremely happy. This is my last race with the [rainbow] jersey and there is no better way to end such a wonderful season for me. Today we really were the strongest team, and I have to say a big thanks you to my team.”
Balsamo stormed across the finish line on stage 5 of the Ceratizit Challenge winning the bunch sprint ahead of Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) and Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ).
It was her last race with trade team Trek-Segafredo before the 2022 UCI Road World Championships held from September 18-25 in Wollongong, Australia, where the rainbow jersey could change hands.
As she crossed the finish line in Madrid, she grabbed the front of her rainbow jersey and kissed it. It was a gesture indicative of how she felt about her incredible run of success since winning the world title last year and wearing it during her first season racing on a Women’s WorldTeam, Trek-Segafredo.
Balsamo secured the world title at the 2021 UCI Road World Championships on the streets of Leuven. Her Italian teammates displayed a master-class lead-out and delivered her to the victory ahead of Dutch favourite Marianne Vos.
It was a victory that was almost symbolic of not only her own success but of the broader success of women’s cycling in Italy.
At just 24 years old, the powerful sprinter has only been racing on the professional cycling circuit for six seasons and she attributed much of her previous growth and success to the Italian-based Continental team Valcar-Travel & Service, where her career began in 2017. It’s a development team that has helped in the early careers of many of the nation’s top riders.
On this team, Balsamo had won stages at the Tour of California, Challenge by La Vuelta, and in one-day races like the GP Oetingen, Dwars door de Westhoek, Omloop van Borsele and Trofee Maarten Wynants, along with numerous other podiums.
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