Yesterday at the Trofeo Binda, Elisa Longo Borghini wanted her redemption and did everything to achieve it. The Italian champion raced with determination from the first kilometer, always at the front of the group controlling, and then in the finale she lit the fuse of a real bomb that literally risked blowing the race apart. The final standings show Balsamo's victory in the sprint, the other Elisa, but Longo took home her small revenge, but above all sent a strong and clear signal: she is ready for Sanremo.

"Elisa is not disappointed, she was incredibly strong, she put her heart into it, she put on a show. I am extremely proud of her," says mom Guidina when we ask her about her daughter's mood and whether she expected a different outcome. The race has been over for a while, an hour or maybe even more, with awards, shower, and everything else passing quickly. Under the UAE Adq team bus, a small group waits for their champion. Longo Borghini's mom and dad stay discreetly in the background as usual, yet they are there, from start to finish, not missing a single meter. At the foot of the podium were also her nephews who had set up a real fan curve for Aunt Elisa, who, when she saw them, gave a huge smile. It's the same smile we find dedicated to her friends and fans from Ornavasso who shower her with affection. Elisa has beautiful words for everyone, and if anyone had suggested she was upset about not winning, we can say that once again she proved to be a true champion.

"After Saturday, I wanted redemption," she says, "what happened at Strade Bianche was truly violent, suddenly I felt bad, it was terrible. Here I was feeling good and wanted to prove it. With the team, we raced aggressively from the start, and then I tried everything. It didn't work out, too bad, but I'm still happy," Elisa analyzes the race precisely, as is her custom. It was her return to racing after the not-so-simple illness at Strade Bianche and with big appointments ahead, the risk was that an influenza virus could have ruined everything. Instead, Longo not only returned but gave everyone, Vollering first and foremost, a run for their money, showing her form is truly superb. "After the UAE Tour, I took a few days off to relax a bit, and then with Paolo Slongo and some teammates, I went to altitude to rebuild my form and do some fine-tuning. This entire block really served its purpose," she continues. "Besides the day of Strade Bianche, I was sick the following day. It was a brief but intense illness. On Monday, I just took a little bike ride, but nothing more. I only resumed on Tuesday, and fortunately, everything went well immediately. Monday I was supposed to go and test the Sanremo route with the team, but unfortunately, I had to give it up due to health issues..."

Sanremo calls from closer and closer, and for now, Elisa Longo Borghini has responded more than clearly that she wants to make her mark. If the premises are those we saw at the Trofeo Binda, we can expect some truly exciting moments from the first difficulties. "I believe it will be a race we'll approach entirely on the attack. There are many unknowns, and the level is extremely high," Elisa continues. "In Cittiglio, with all the strongest climbers, we tried to make a difference both on the mountain points and on the descent. We attacked multiple times, but despite this, it came down to a narrow sprint. Sanremo will definitely be beautiful to race and watch, there will be a show, and then we always need to see how the world champion is doing. Lotte Kopecky decided not to race before Saturday, it's a specific choice, which means she knows what she's doing and, above all, she's feeling good."

From tomorrow, Elisa will be in Riviera to study the route more closely and start getting into the Classicissima atmosphere, and if these are the premises... the show is guaranteed!