Those are the future of the cycling and they are showing it. After an excellent team work Maria Giulia Confalonieri ends in the sixth place the Driedaagse Brugge – De Panne, fouth race of the UCI Women World Tour. Elisa Balsamo, hits the eleventh place and thanks to this placement conquered the leader-shirt of the ranking “young” of ’UCI World Tour.
“When there was 1 km left, our head group exited on the right and we found ourselves in front” says Maria Giulia Confalonieri, that hit the 3rd placement. “ Elisa and I were in the 5th and 6th position but then I pushed back on the right and we were closed out. It would have been better to exit on the left. Considering it was the first time for us doing a train for an arrival I would say it was good. Each cyclist was deciving and we’ve been doing really good as a team. Marta Cavalli helped Elisa Balsamo, Silvia Persico and Chiara Consonni too. In the finale Ilaria Saguineti and Maria Giulia Confalonieri worked really hard to put Elisa Balsamo in the best conditions for the sprint.”
“The team, from first to last, worked to conquered this shirt“ comments Elisa Balsamo “we didn’t expect it but we did it all to catch it and will do everything to keep it. After 3 race I wasn’t expecting for this great outcome but I’m happy because we are really having the best time. Today we worked as a great team, you could see on tv that we each of us gave her best. Now we only have to practice.”
Now off to Gent-Wevelgem (March 25th): at the start Balsamo, Cavalli, Confalonieri, Consonni, Persico and Sanguineti before the “turnover” for the Dwars door Vlaanderen (March 28th), Giro delle Fiandre (April 1st) and GP Dottignies (April 2nd).
