For the first time in his career, Elisa Longo Borghini did not participate in the world championshipIt's hard to find certain statistics in men's cycling, and perhaps more so in modern cycling, where for one reason or another you can end up missing out: if only because of the characteristics of the course. This has never happened to the Piedmontese. She had only been left out of the national team once, for the London Olympics, and he had taken it to heartThis time, however, there was nothing to complain about, since the health problem that forced her to withdraw from the Tour did not allow for carelessness or heroic gesturesThis is how Elisa followed the World Cup from home. Her point of view is the way to relive Lotte Kopecky's race and of the Italians, looking for any key points that we may have missed.
Among the curiosities of that day, Sunday 13th August, Elisa managed to get her bike back for the first time. His day therefore began with a very mild outing in the company of Jacopo Fly (opening photo), returning from Poland and about to leave for the Tour of Denmark, and then continued on the sofa.
What was it like watching the World Cup on TV?
Strange. I've done them all since I went elite. Even in 2013, when I fell and hurt myself, but I managed to recover in time. And I would have been able to do it this time too, if they hadn't moved them to AugustBut in the end I accepted the situation. Something happened that was out of my control, I wasn't angry. I was sorry because... I saw myself in that little group in front giving dry beatingsBut if you can't, you can't. If your health isn't supporting you, there's nothing you can do.
At what point did you realize you would miss the World Cup?
Unofficially from the moment I withdrew from the Tour and we understood that the situation was very serious. It would not have been possible to recover.
Let's get to the World Championships. Don't you think there was a fundamental misreading of the course? Why all the talk about sprinters?
As far as I'm concerned, I I had done the European championship more or less on that path and it hadn't been a race for sprintersAmong the men, a small group with Trentin had arrived, while our race ended in a sprint only because we decided to sprint it. There had been a breakaway in front for a long time, then a small group, then I was left alone with Van der Breggen. So it was clear to me that with all those relaunches and those little climbs, which seem so simple but ultimately sap your legs, it wouldn't be a race for sprinters. It really surprised me that everyone thought it could be a race for fast peopleIt was clear that this was going to be a very tough race.
First breakaway, no Italians inside and Soraya Paladin chasing alone…
I had spoken to some girls from the national team and we had said to each other that it would be good to be on a long-distance escape, especially if it was cheap and had some good names in it, like a Dutchwoman. And some good riders did indeed leave, but we weren't in, and I was disappointed. But in the end it's easy to talk from home, there are dynamics in the race that I don't knowI saw that Gasparrini tried, but she couldn't get a hold of him. She missed those three meters without which we would be telling another story.
Also because after the race they were the first to feel sorry...
This is certain. In this interview I can say everything, but you will never find me criticizing my companions, because I care about the blue jersey and I care about them.
In all their words before and after, your absence was the factor that made the difference, almost as if they felt that the person who would have finished the work was missing…
It's a difficult topic: it could have happened, I don't knowHearing about my absence, from a certain point of view, made me sad. However, hearing that people or even the commentators themselves regretted that I wasn't there, gave me... the charge to return to the next World Cup and even the scoreIn any case, the girls had as a reference Elena Cecchini, who runs in a very strong team and knows the dynamics of running. I'm more of an arm and she's the mindI'm ahead with my legs, obviously I also use my brain, but I don't consider myself a leader like her.
At a certain point it became clear that our leader was Silvia Persico.
And Silvia showed that she was there. Maybe he wasted a little too much following Kopecky's first attacks, which were more dictated by nervousness.Maybe he could have stayed on the wheels longer and made the others close, but even in this case… I was watching TV, She only knew how her legs were and what instinct was telling her to do.. So if he did that, maybe there was a reason.
What did you think when you saw Kopecky raising hell?
It was clear from the start that Kopecky had a leg that… cleared the table and that she was determined to win this World Championship at any cost, more than anyone else. She was ready to die on the bike. Only she knows the reason. Besides having the shirt, in my opinion there was something stronger that pushed her to win that race, something personalWhen you want a run so badly, it's because you have something inside that gives you an extra push. She had legs, but also an impressive competitive spirit.
2023 is the year he lost his brother…
When you find yourself in those situations, you are so determined that anything becomes possible. He would have torn Vollering's shirt if it had been necessary…
What did you think when you saw Elena Cecchini going alone to hunt down Chabbey?
I thought that if she had come back, they would have had a good advantage. Chabbey achieved the result (seventh at the finish, ed.) because on a circuit like this, if you get ahead, it's true that they come to get you, but now it's a dead man's raceThe selection has already been made and not many people are included, so I hoped that Elena would be able to mend her ways, because then she would surely have made it into the top 10In fact, when she left, I said, "Wow, well done Elena!" She thought it through well, even though she didn't make it back.
Consonni and Balsamo, the fastest, held out as long as possible…
Chiara ran on the wheels, it was probably decided that way. He held up well, he had a good raceElisa was smart and very brave, because when she realized she didn't have the legs to stay with the leaders, she tried to anticipate with Markus. I think it was a good test for her, especially after the accident. and after a Tour de France where he spent a lot.
Speaking of the Tour de France, some Italian riders arrived at the World Championships feeling quite tired: perhaps the two races were too close together?
Well, Kopecky was lucky… Obviously if you are a cross-country athlete and maybe you are not a young person who has done the Giro and Tour, then it can be fineFor those who are more mature and accustomed to heavy workloads, the Tour de France was the best preparation. It would have been for me too, if I had the Giro finished and I hadn't withdrawn from the Tour too (smiles bitterly, ed.).
Perhaps Silvia Persico is among the youngest who could have paid him?
I'm afraid so, but I could be wrong. He's still young, maybe he's not taking on super-heavy workloads yet. He did 10 days of the Giro at full speed, then two weeks to recover, then another very tough week at the Tour.. Even just looking at my data on Training Peaks, even though I dropped out before the hardest stages, I had a very high TSS, because we went full blast every day. So it could be that Silvia arrived at the World Championships a little tired (the Training Stress Score is a number that takes into account the duration and intensity of a workout and the physiological stress it produced, ed.).
Have you been on the couch all day?
Very peacefully, with Jacopo who brought me something to drink and eatMore water than food, because I have to drink a lot. And then we made our comments, our couch potato assessments, like two pensioners.
In conclusion, what kind of World Cup was it?
It was a cool World Cup in my opinion, because it was different from what everyone expected. Sprinters like Philipsen and Wiebes jumped on the first lapAs a spectator, it was a great World Cup to follow. It lent itself to bursts and counter-bursts. It wasn't soporific at all. Even the men's race, which perhaps in the early hours… Instead they made a finale that lasted 150 kilometers and even watching the girls was very engagingI watched all the races, and I even learned a bit about paracycling.
You went out on your bike for the first time on the day of the World Championships. How's your recovery going now?
Yesterday I got back to work on Slongo's tables. If I look at the jobs I have to do, I think my niece could do them too, but I was... Two weeks without training, with an operation, antibiotics, various pains and injuries, so I'm a bit shattered, but my morale is goodWho knows, maybe we can start fighting again for Romandie...
