After seventh place in Cittiglio and fifth place in De Panne, Elisa Balsamo improves further and goes to conquer a prestigious 4th place in a great classic of world cycling such as Gent-Wevelgem. the big difference from the previous two races is that the whole team did well this time, proving to be one of the top teams in world cycling.
At the start of this 141 km Gent-Wevelgem there were Elisa Balsamo, Chiara Consonni, Eleonora Gasparrini, Vittoria Guazzini, Silvia Persico and Ilaria Sanguineti for Valcar – Travel & Service.
In the first part of the race the girls directed by Davide Arzeni were very good at helping Elisa Balsamo in keeping in the top positions of the group. Staying in front was essential, because, like any self-respecting race in Belgium, there were several parts on cobblestones and – even – on dirt roads where the work of Silvia Persico was fundamental.
Silvia Persico also helped Elisa to attack Monteberg in the first positions 39 km from the finish.
The race started 37 km from the finish on Kemmelberg, when Elisa Longo Borghini led out a small group of Kopecky, Van Dijk, Pieters, Vos and Cavalli after a forcing made in tandem with Niewadoma. The fugitives gained 20 seconds on a second group where Elisa Balsamo was and just over half a minute on a third group with Vittoria Guazzini.
At 27 km from the finish, after a solitary attack by Henderson, the three groups compacted and after six kilometers there was another attack by Elisa Longo Borghini who forced the pace on the plate together with teammates Van Dijk and Deignan. This time, however, Balsamo and Guazzini are very good at not being surprised and a group of 8 athletes formed at the head of the race consisting of Balsamo, Guazzini, Longo Borghini, Van Dijk, Deignan, Majerous, Pieters, Paladin and Henderson.
Once again Elisa Longo Borghini snatches and goes on the run with Soraya Paladin. The tandem gains about twenty seconds, while the entire group is gathered behind it, towed – among others – by an amazing Vittoria Guazzini who, in the company of Lotte Kopecky’s teammates, will then close on the two heads at 3 km from ‘arrival.
Everything is decided in the sprint. Vittoria Guazzini still has the energy to launch the sprint to Elisa Balsamo on the left sector of the roadway, but the good train leaves on the right. Elisa Balsamo is quick to jump on the Kopecky wheel, but in the end it is Marianne Vos who wins over Kopecky and Brennauer. However, for Elisa comes the satisfaction of having her best result ever at Gent-Wevelgem.
