ZURICH (Switzerland) – Let's start from the end and from the tears held back with difficulty, when Elisa Longo Borghini is invited to talk about Muriel Furrer, who passed away just yesterday while the under 23 race was in full swing. So far, everyone has been talking about this world bronze, the way it came about, Lotte Kopecky's victory and the incomprehensible running of the Netherlands. But Sometimes it's also right to stop, lift your head from the handlebars and look aroundThe evening suddenly took on a humanity that few had shown until now and perhaps the greatness of the Piedmontese champion lies in her ability to stop and think.
"I don't think anyone at the start today," he says, "could help but think of her. Our job is to race, we are always very focused on the race and maybe sometimes this is not very correctWe should think more about our safety. This morning, when the race started, we all thought of her, but then we returned our eyes to the road. Running for me today was a way to celebrate his life and what he loved.. Because Muriel sadly died doing what she loved. She was three years older than my niece after all and The thought that it could have happened to her touched me particularly.I thought a lot about my sister-in-law and my brother and all my family. Muriel was a girl who would run with me, she was part of the group."
He ran to break the bank Zurich And God only knows she didn't give it her all. She was the strongest in the race. No uphill attack surprised her. And in the end, Despite her full attack on the last climb, she had the legs to make a sprint that was masterful for her. In certain sprints, Lotte Kopeky you can't beat her and to get the bronze Elisa really had to grit her teeth. Now she's wrapped in her blue jacket, her cheeks starting to get color again.The day was truly tough, cold, and wet. It took every ounce of character I had left to get through.
What did you think when you attacked?
Two kilometers from the finish line I said to myself: "It doesn't matter if I don't get on the podium. I came here to win, and I did everything I could."I was proud of what I had accomplished up to that point.
Did you think Vollering could follow you in that shot?
I hoped so. The trouble is that Demi she was desperate to win this race and it's normal that when a rider really wants a race too much, in the end he can't do it. It didn't work out because the others had something more, but I'm very happy with this bronze.
You found yourself alone among two Belgians and four Dutch women, and yet in the end you made it to the podium…
I always have respect for my opponents. But I always race my own race. If you think too much about others, you end up making mistakes too.So I control what I can and for the rest I focus on my result.
I get the feeling that you had fun, is that possible?
So much! I'm really happy with how the race went, honestly. We had planned to come here with the national team to win the raceThe girls came to help me and today they really did. They tried, so a special thanks goes to them. If I think about it, especially about Elisa Balsam who is getting married on October 1st and was here today pulling for meAnd then I would like to say a word of thanks to Soraya Paladin. Definitely Wednesday's test in the Team Relay He didn't leave her satisfied and I was sure that wasn't his true value. Today he showed that he is really strong. and in my eyes he ran a splendid race.
At the press conference, someone was saying that the bronze medal could be a disappointment, instead?
Instead, no. We tried, We tried in every way to win the race and we got a bronze medal which satisfies me.I managed to give 100 percent, and even in the sprint, reaching the podium wasn't a given. But I did it, and I'm proud of myself.
You played a very long game, was it a conscious choice?
I saw tired legs and above all I saw Vollering really in crisis because of this desire to winI knew he was going to throw it, so I tried to throw it long, just because I know I'm an endurance athlete and in a race like this, sprints are not a given.A few years ago I probably wouldn't have been able to get on this podium and this is probably a symptom of both physical and mental growth, dictated by many factors.
Did you feel like the strongest in the race? Before the sprint, this was the feeling from the outside...
Yes, I felt the strongest. Demi Vollering was also strong, but in my opinion she didn't have the right balance. I don't want to crucify poor Demi, because in the end she too will have tried to do her best, but that's how things go. And therefore hat even to her who tried one hundred percentIf I think about myself, I might have had the same obsession in Paris, but I really lacked the legs there.
We talked with Slongo about how positive this season of yours has been, which is perhaps the best of your career so far…
Yes, I actually thought about it briefly on the podium. I wasn't very confident this summer, especially when I crashed and was left out of the Tour.I felt silly for falling in training and eliminating myself, but once again I have to thank you so much Slongo himselfHe supported me and he told me that we would arrive at the World Cup in excellent conditionEven before the Romandie, I was sick one night and couldn't make it, but Paolo never gave up hope. Luckily, I'd say, because I was a little hesitant.
About what?
In the last week, Before I got here, I disobeyed him a lot.I went out to look for answers about the climbs, to do my 10-minute bests, to try to set times. Paolo kept telling me that I had to stay calm because I was in good shape., while I was looking for answers left and right. Then finally he took me back and at that point I said to him: «Okay, fine, maybe you're right». And it was true. This time too, he was right..
