It’s the 24th edition of the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, which is the oldest race on the current women’s calendar, with the first race being held in 1974. The race starts and ends in Cittiglio and is one of the few women’s WorldTour races that also have a juniors race. This year, 135 riders are competing for the win, including four former winners of the Trofeo Binda. The race features climbs to Orino and Casale and three sprint points at kms 23, 54, and 74. There are a few fast finishers racing, including Elisa Balsamo and Lorena Wiebes, and teams like SD Worx and Trek-Segafredo will be trying to keep the race together for their sprinters. The temperature is warmer than last week’s snowy Ronde van Drenthe, with a temperature of around 15 °C in Cittiglio today.
Shirin van Anrooij of the Trek-Segafredo team claimed victory in the Trofeo Alfredo Binda on Sunday, taking a solo win after nearly 25km. The Dutch rider’s win marked her first victory at any level as a pro on the road. Trek-Segafredo secured a 1-2 finish, with Elisa Balsamo finishing second on the line. The team’s strong performance came despite missing Elisa Longo Borghini. The chase group behind was unable to close the gap, which grew to over 20 seconds as they looked at each other. Van Anrooij’s win followed impressive tactical execution from her team. “I actually just can’t believe it,” said van Anrooij. “It’s my first ever win for the team. It has always been one of my favourite races but I don’t know, I never expected to stay away. I just expected them to come back and for Barzi [Elisa Balsamo] to win the sprint, and somehow I managed to win this race.” The Trofeo Alfredo Binda is one of the oldest WorldTour Classics. Trek-Segafredo has won the race three years in a row with three different riders. The Women’s WorldTour continues on Thursday with the Classic Burgge-De Panne.
Dutch rider Shirin van Anrooij of the Trek-Segafredo team is leading the peloton in the Trofeo Alfredo Binda race, with just 15km left to go. Van Anrooij has a lead of about 20 seconds and is riding solo. The chasing group behind has riders dropping out due to the hard efforts of Mavi García. The SD Worx team is leading the chase to bring back the lead for Lorena Wiebes. The climb to Orino will be the decisive moment of the race, and Van Anrooij will have to use all her technical skills to maintain her lead. However, a poorly paced moto has impeded her a little already. The Women’s WorldTour will continue on Thursday with the Classic Burgge-De Panne.
Peloton crosses finish line for the penultimate time
The peloton crosses the finish line for the penultimate time with one 17km lap to go. Currently, Shirin van Anrooij is leading the way with a gap of fewer than ten seconds. Despite her small lead, the group behind has not been able to catch up to her yet. Trek-Segafredo is working hard to catch up to the leaders on the climb, with the gap coming down to 27 seconds. The climb up Orino has shaken up the race, with Trek-Segafredo setting the pace on the climb.
Van Anrooij attacks
Trek-Segafredo’s perfect setup allowed Shirin van Anrooij to attack, putting pressure on the group behind her. The gap between Van Anrooij and the peloton is relatively small, with Trek-Segafredo determined to catch up to the leaders on the climb. As we head into the foot of Orino for the third time, the situation is looking uncertain.
Leaders holding 43-second gap
The leaders, Ciabocco and Realini, are still holding a 43-second gap. Adegeest’s presence is helping the leaders, with the e-Sports world champion providing an extra engine to help the trio stay ahead. Although the bunch has let this move go, SD Worx is well-represented in the remaining ‘peloton,’ with all five of their starters still in the group, including Wiebes.
Counter-attack from Swinkels
Karlijn Swinkels from Jumbo-Visma has launched a counter-attack, joining Ciabocco on the front with a 15-second gap on the strung-out bunch. The calming moment in the town of Gemonio has given the leaders a chance to increase their advantage to one minute ahead of the peloton.
Team DSM with no sprinter: A chance for small or solo move
The situation at the 2023 Women’s Trofeo Alfredo Binda looks tough for Team DSM as they don’t have a sprinter to compete with. Their best chance of winning is through a small or solo move. The repeated attacks from the riders are causing a lot of trouble and reducing the size of the peloton.
Riders in the breakaway
The peloton crossed the finish line for the penultimate time and had one 17km lap left to go. After the Orino climb, the race broke up slightly, and a group of nine riders had a small gap. The nine riders in the breakaway were Riejanne Markus (Jumbo Visma), Shirin van Anrooij (Trek-Segafredo), Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM), Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx), Francesca Barale (Team DSM), Mikayla Harvey (UAE Team ADQ), Caroline Andersson (Liv Racing TeqFind), Paula Patino (Movistar), and Elena Pirrone (Israel Premier Tech Roland).
Climbs at the Trofeo Alfredo Binda
The Casale is the steepest climb of the day, measuring 800m in length, with an average of 7% and some steeper sections too. Meanwhile, the Orino is longer at 2.6km, but it averages at 5%. The Orino has historically provided the opportunity for winning moves. Elise Chabbey (Canyon-SRAM) took the QoM as she crossed the top of Orino for the first time.
Teams chasing
FDJ-SUEZ was chasing the breakaway after the nine riders took a gap of about 12 seconds. Former winners Marianne Vos and Kasia Niewiadoma were in the lead, along with Shirin van Anrooij and Mischa Bredewold, among others. The situation looked promising, but the pace was too high, and the group was brought back within minutes.
Reduction of peloton
The peloton reduced significantly, with around 40 riders left. Grace Brown (FDJ-SUEZ) pulled off a massive move to bring the previous gap back. Despite the riders’ repeated efforts, the moves were not sticking, but it was putting a lot of riders in trouble and making the group smaller. It remains to be seen whether a small or solo move can win the Trofeo Alfredo Binda for Team DSM.
The leader of the Trofeo Alfredo Binda-Comune di Cittiglio is yet to emerge, but the competition is heating up. Over half the race has been completed, and the peloton has moved on to the toughest parts of the race, with challenging climbs. The first passage of the Orino climb is close to completion, and the group has settled into a steady rhythm. Unfortunately, Kim Cadzow, Alena Ivanchenko, and Tamara Dronovoa all crashed in the peloton. Gaia Realini, who missed out on a win in the UAE Tour, is pushing herself to the limit to secure victory. Over the top of the Casale climb, Realini emerged first, and she’s quickly establishing herself as one of the strongest riders on the day. The third sprint is upcoming between Casale and Orino. Amber Kraak, from Jumbo-Visma, wins the second intermediate sprint, and the team seems determined to control the peloton. The circuit features a series of challenging climbs that are sure to test the endurance of every cyclist. The team that can manage these climbs most efficiently could ultimately be the one to come out on top.
Italian cyclists lead the breakaway
At the Giro d’Italia Donne 2022, a breakaway of three cyclists, including two Italian riders, has opened up an early lead of about 30 seconds. The peloton is not exerting itself to catch up with them just yet. The riders in the lead are Giorgia Bariani (Valcar-Travel & Service), Anna Trevisi (Alé BTC Ljubljana) and Chiara Consonni (LIV Racing TeqFind).
Sprint and climb approaching
After the descent, the riders will face a flat portion with a sprint before tackling another uncategorised climb. Once the circuits start after that climb, it’s going to be up and down all the way to the finish line. There are many climbs in the race, and the peloton will be tackling the first categorised climb of the day, Masciago Primo, which has an average gradient of 4.6% and is 5.1km in length.
Attackers caught, another attack follows
Despite several riders making an attack, the peloton is keeping a tight control. Earlier, a breakaway of three riders opened up a 30 second gap, but they have now been caught on the climb. Thị Thật Nguyễn (Israel Premier Tech Roland) attempted a counter-attack, but she was quickly reabsorbed by the peloton.
Action-packed race so far
The race has been action-packed so far, with several riders trying to break away from the peloton. There was a split in the peloton, resulting in around 15 riders forming a front group. However, the peloton has already caught up with the attackers on the climb. Jumbo-Visma is currently controlling the race, with two former winners, Marianne Vos and Coryn Labecki, in the team.
Trio leads the pack
Three riders have taken an early lead in the Trofeo Alfredo Binda race, with Gaia Masetti (AG Insurance – Soudal Quick-Step), Letizia Brufani (Bepink) and Giorgia Bariani (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) attacking from the peloton. The trio has managed to establish a few seconds’ advantage over the bunch as they head towards the first intermediate sprint at Brissago Valtravaglia.
No clear breakaway yet
Despite the early attack, the peloton remains largely together, with no clear breakaway group emerging in the first half hour of racing. As the riders approach the first uncategorised climb, the pace is starting to pick up, and riders are beginning to test each other with attacks.
Former winners in the mix
Four former winners of the Trofeo Alfredo Binda are racing today: Marianne Vos, Elisa Balsamo, Kasia Niewiadoma and Coryn Labecki. It remains to be seen whether one of these experienced racers will claim victory once again or if a new name will be added to the list of winners.
An open race
With a mix of fast finishers and climbers in the peloton, it is difficult to predict how the race will play out. Teams like SD Worx and Trek-Segafredo, which boast strong sprinters, may aim to keep the race together for a bunch sprint, while others may attempt to launch a solo or breakaway attack on one of the challenging climbs.
A race of two halves
The local circuits, which feature numerous climbs, do not begin until 68km into the race. This means that the first half of the race may be more relaxed, with riders testing each other and looking for opportunities to attack, while the second half is likely to be more intense and decisive.
Late non-starter
Kristen Faulkner of Jayco-AlUla did not start the race, possibly due to the effects of a crash during Wednesday’s Nokere Koerse race.
Thoughts from Marianne Vos
Before the race, Marianne Vos shared her thoughts on the course and her goals for the day. No information was provided about why Kristen Faulkner did not start the race.
Women’s Milan-Sanremo?
There is talk of adding a women’s Milan-Sanremo race to the calendar in the future, with Annemiek van Vleuten expressing her support for the idea of a longer race.
Trofeo Binda Women’s WorldTour race: Will SD Worx extend their winning streak?
The 7th round of the Women’s WorldTour is underway with Trofeo Binda, which has been on the top-level women’s calendar for the 24th time. The race is well-suited for puncheurs, and previous winners Elisa Longo Borghini, Lizzie Deignan, and Kasia Niewiadoma have all won it. However, quite a few sprinters are also taking part, including Elisa Balsamo, who won in 2022, and Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx.
The race, which is the oldest event on the current women’s calendar, began in 1974, and the riders will cover a total distance of 139km. The race is being held in Maccagno, hugging the shores of Lake Maggiore, before turning inland towards Cittiglio and the climbs. The riders will tackle four laps of the 17.5km finishing circuit, which includes the climbs to Orino and Casale.
The start list features four former winners, including Marianne Vos, who has won Trofeo Binda four times. Vos, however, hasn’t raced since cyclocross nationals in January, and this race could be more of a test of her form. Barbara Guarischi, a member of SD Worx, dropped out of the race, while Marta Cavalli is set to start after taking a break from racing.
The race is an excellent opportunity for SD Worx to extend their winning streak, but it remains to be seen whether they will continue to dominate. The circuits starting just after the climb, it’s pretty much up and down all the way to the line. There are also three sprint points at km 23, 54, and 74. The first portion of the day includes a few climbs, including the Masciago Primo, which is 5.1km at 4.6%.
The start of the race was given, and the peloton has rolled out of Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca. The teams are ready, and the riders will cover 139km in total, with the race concluding with a sizeable bunch sprint or a long solo move.
The temperature in Cittiglio for Trofeo Alfredo Binda is about 15°C, making for a warmer day than last weekend’s snowy Ronde van Drenthe. Stay tuned for live coverage of the oldest women’s Classic with Matilda as your guide.
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