Latest news with #Imola
SBS Australia
4 days ago
- Sport
- SBS Australia
'Never expected this': Australian Sarah Gigante's dream comeback after major surgery
Sarah Gigante has completed her dazzling maiden Giro d'Italia by finishing third overall and winning the Queen of the Mountains jersey as the top climber. While Italian home favourite Elisa Longo Borghini held on to her overnight lead to take the title for a second straight year, Gigante was thrilled to finish her breakthrough event, in which she won two mountain stages in four days, with a place on the podium. Better still, she produced the goods on the final hilly stage to take the Queen of the Mountains jersey as top climber, going past the overnight leader, Spain's Usoa Ostolaza. "I can't believe how well this week went," said Gigante, who is making a remarkable comeback to the sport after surgery last year to fix the debilitating condition, Iliac artery endofibrosis. "I never expected this. My main concern was just being able to compete again without pain." The 24-year-old follows her countrywoman Neve Bradbury, who also finished third in the 2024 event, and joins Amanda Spratt (3rd in 2018 and 2019), Kathryn Watt (2nd in 1994 and 3rd in 1990) and Elisabeth Hepple (2nd in the inaugural 1988 event) in the Giro's Australian roll of honour. After taking the race lead off Marlen Reusser on the penultimate stage, Longo Borghini successfully defended the pink jersey on the final 134km stage eight from Forlì to Imola, finishing fourth behind her Swiss rival on the day. Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) ended up victorious by 18 seconds ahead of Movistar's Reusser, with Gigante unable to make any inroads into the champion's overnight lead of 71 seconds over the Melbourne rider. The stage was won by Movistar's Liane Lippert, who beat Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) in a two-up sprint at the famous Imola racetrack, the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, after the pair had escaped from a group of a dozen riders, including Gigante, in the last 3km. The hilly route provided Gigante's key to the Queen of the Mountains blue jersey prize. She had been lying one point behind Ostolaza overnight, but won the first mountain sprint in Monticino to regain a lead that she wasn't about to relinquish. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) then went on a solo breakaway to win an intermediate sprint and seal her points classification victory. "It's been an incredible Giro - for me and for the team. The last eight days were full gas: we had a common goal, and we achieved it," Longo Borghini said.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Longo Borghini wins her second Women's Giro d'Italia
Elisa Longo Borghini topped the general classification by 18 seconds to win her second straight Women's Giro d'Italia [Getty Images] Home favourite Elisa Longo Borghini said she was "lost for words" after winning the Women's Giro d'Italia for the second year running. The Italian, riding for UAE Team ADQ, finished fourth on the final stage to secure the pink jersey. Advertisement Having only taken the race lead on the penultimate stage, Longo Borghini was 18 seconds clear of nearest challenger Marlen Reusser of Movistar in the general classification. Australian Sarah Gigante of AG Insurance-Soudal Team completed the podium. "I'm lost for words. This Giro was intense, packed with emotions, unforgettable," said Longo Borghini. "I knew I was going to have to give everything and that's what I did. Cycling is full of highs and lows, and moments like this make the sacrifice worthwhile." Liane Lippert, also of Movistar, won the extremely hilly 134km eighth and final stage from Forli to Imola. Advertisement The German beat SD Worx-Protime's Anna van der Breggen in a two-up sprint finish. Although Reusser got ahead of Longo Borghini for third, the four-second time bonus was not enough for the Swiss rider. General classification after final stage Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita/UAE Team ADQ) 24hrs 37mins 3secs Marlen Reusser (Swi/Movistar Team) +18secs Sarah Gigante (Aus/AG Insurance-Soudal Team) +1min 11secs Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned/Fenix-Deceuninck) +2min 55secs Antonia Niedermaier (Ger/Canyon/SRAM Zondacrypto) +3mins 7secs Anna van der Breggen (Ned/Team SD Worx-Protime) +3min 32secs Isabella Holmgren (Can/Lidl-Trek) +3mins 54secs Barbara Malcotti (Ita/Human Powered Health) 4min 44secs Urska Zigart (Svn/AG Insurance-Soudal Team) +4mins 56secs Katrine Aalerud (Nor/Uno-X Mobility) +5mins 19secs Stage eight results
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Longo Borghini wins her second Women's Giro d'Italia
Home favourite Elisa Longo Borghini said she was "lost for words" after winning the Women's Giro d'Italia for the second year Italian, riding for UAE Team ADQ, finished fourth on the final stage to secure the pink only taken the race lead on the penultimate stage, Longo Borghini was 18 seconds clear of nearest challenger Marlen Reusser of Movistar in the general Sarah Gigante of AG Insurance-Soudal Team completed the podium."I'm lost for words. This Giro was intense, packed with emotions, unforgettable," said Longo Borghini."I knew I was going to have to give everything and that's what I did. Cycling is full of highs and lows, and moments like this make the sacrifice worthwhile."Liane Lippert, also of Movistar, won the extremely hilly 134km eighth and final stage from Forli to German beat SD Worx-Protime's Anna van der Breggen in a two-up sprint Reusser got ahead of Longo Borghini for third, the four-second time bonus was not enough for the Swiss rider. General classification after final stage Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita/UAE Team ADQ) 24hrs 37mins 3secsMarlen Reusser (Swi/Movistar Team) +18secsSarah Gigante (Aus/AG Insurance-Soudal Team) +1min 11secsPauliena Rooijakkers (Ned/Fenix-Deceuninck) +2min 55secsAntonia Niedermaier (Ger/Canyon/SRAM Zondacrypto) +3mins 7secsAnna van der Breggen (Ned/Team SD Worx-Protime) +3min 32secsIsabella Holmgren (Can/Lidl-Trek) +3mins 54secsBarbara Malcotti (Ita/Human Powered Health) 4min 44secsUrska Zigart (Svn/AG Insurance-Soudal Team) +4mins 56secsKatrine Aalerud (Nor/Uno-X Mobility) +5mins 19secs Stage eight results Liane Lippert (Ger/Movistar Team) 3hrs 40mins 7secsAnna van der Breggen (Ned/Team SD Worx-Protime) same timeMarlen Reusser (Swi/Movistar Team) +8secsElisa Longo Borghini (Ita/UAE Team ADQ) same timeEvita Muzic (Fra/FDJ–Suez)Isabella Holmgren (Can/Lidl-Trek)Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned/Fenix-Deceuninck)Silke Smulders (Ned/Liv AlUla Jayco)Antonia Niedermaier (Ger/Canyon/SRAM Zondacrypto)Sarah Gigante (Aus/AG Insurance-Soudal Team)
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Italy's Longo Borghini wins women's Giro d'Italia
Italian cyclist Longo Borghini Elisa of UAE Team AD, celebrates on the podium after winning the 8th stage of the Giro D'Italia Women's cycling race, 134 KM from Forli to Imola. Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa Italy's Elisa Longo Borghini won the women's Giro d'Italia on Sunday as she held on to the pink jersey in the final stage won by German Liane Lippert on the famous Imola Formula One track. Longo Borghini had snatched the overall lead in the seventh and penultimate stage on Saturday from Swiss rider Marlen Reusser and finished 18 seconds ahead in the final classification. Advertisement Lippert got her second stage win in a sprint finish against Belgian twice world champion Anna van der Breggen after 134 kilometres from Forli to Imola where the action concluded on the F1 track. Reusser was third and Longo Borghini fourth with the same time. 'It's been an incredible Giro — for me and for the team. The last eight days were full gas: we had a common goal, and we achieved it," Longo Borghini said. "Yesterday was a great day, but the job wasn't finished — we had to stay focused on today's stage, and that's exactly what we did. I'm speechless ... this feeling is just amazing'. Urska Zigart of Slovenia, the partner of triple Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar, was ninth overall.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Elisa Longo Borghini retains Giro d'Italia Women title as Lippert wins final stage
Elisa Longo Borghini has retained her Giro d'Italia Women title, holding on to the pink jersey she claimed on Saturday's queen stage as the race concluded at Imola. Longo Borghini (Team UAE ADQ) sealed her second victory at her home Grand Tour, after losing just four bonus seconds to Switzerland's Marlen Reusser (Movistar) on the final stage, winning the title by 18 seconds overall. Germany's Liane Lippert, also from the Movistar stable, won the race's eighth and final stage with a late break alongside Anna van der Breggen (Team SD-Worx). The pair broke away in the final kilometres inside the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, with Lippert crossing the finish line first. Reusser and Longo Borghini came home in the chasing group, eight seconds behind, with the Swiss rider claiming a four-second bonus for finishing third. It was not enough to win back the maglia rosa, which Longo Borghini had taken from Reusser with a bold attack to the summit finish at Monte Nerone on Saturday. 'Right now, I'm honestly without words,' Longo Borghini said afterwards, having won the overall title without claiming a stage win. 'This Giro has been intense, emotional, unforgettable. I knew I had to dig deep and fight until the very end.' 'My teammates were phenomenal, and this maglia rosa is for them,' the 33-year-old added. 'We worked so hard, and to win like this, defending the jersey on such an iconic circuit, it's just incredible. Cycling is a rollercoaster … moments like this make all the sacrifices worth it.' For Lippert, a second stage win of the week was a good consolation after failing to deliver overall glory for Movistar teammate Reusser. 'We lost the maglia rosa but we promised each other to fight to the very end,' the 27-year-old said. 'Today, Marlen worked for me and I wanted to give her a reason to smile. I knew I had to follow [Anna] Van der Breggen and the perfect scenario played out for us.' Australia's Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal), who won stage seven, finished third overall and claimed the blue jersey for the best mountain rider, having also prevailed on stage four. Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceunick) and Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM-Zondacrypto) finished fourth and fifth overall.
