Elisa Longo-Borghini Claims Second at La Flèche Wallonne Féminine

Team Hitec Products claimed another World Cup podium after Elisa Longo-Borghini continued her brilliant spring form today sprinting to second on the Mur de Huy. 

The 21-year-old was just beaten by Marianne Vos (Rabobank Liv/Giant) after hard work by the Hitec Products team helped to deliver Elisa to the bottom of the Mur de Huy 130 km into the 131 km race in the best possible condition.

“I’m really satisfied with today’s race,” Elisa said. 

“I really wanted to please my teammates because they did such a good job. I didn’t want to get fourth or fifth, I really wanted to be on the podium for them.” 

While the race was aggressive from the beginning with Wiggle Honda trying to break the peloton up it wasn’t until the Côte de Bohissau at 50km that a group of eight broke away from the peloton, gaining a maximum advantage of 42seconds on the chasing group. 

Chloe Hosking and Cecilie Johsen worked hard to neutralise the break leading into the first ascent of the Mur de Huy, the climb which characterises the Belgium classic.

Rachel Neylan drove the pace for the first 500 metres of the climb, splitting the peloton into four groups with Elisa representing the Hitec Products Team at the front. 

Two groups quickly joined together with Neylan riding aggressively for the next 40 km trying to force a selection. 

“Rachel went in every attack, she was amazing. Really she was everywhere,” Elisa said.

Leading into the second and final ascent of the Mur de Huy Elisa positioned herself perfectly at the front of the group. 

With 500 metres to go a select group of six remained at the front of the race containing Elisa, Vos, Ashleigh Moolman (Lotto Belisol Ladies), Ellen Van Dijk (Specialized Lululemon), Anna Van Der Breggen (Sengers Ladies Cycling Team) and Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS).

Vos lead out the sprint with 100 metres remaining and was able to hold her lead but a late kick by Elisa saw her power over South African Ashleigh Moolman to claim second in the fourth race of the World Cup series. 

Team Director Davy Wijnant said the result was a great result for the team. 

“We really rode as a team today. It’s nice to see every World Cup that we getting better and better,” he said. 

Elisa’s second place finish combined with her victory in Trofeo Alfredo Binda last month and her fourth place finish at Ronde Van Vlaanderen means she is now ranked third overall in the World Cup race series. 

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