Elisa Longo Borghini (Team UAE ADQ) was emotional after the finish of Milan-San Remo Women. She was proud to have ridden the women's race on its return but was disappointed her late attack was caught in sight of the Via Roma finish line.
"I should say that it’s only a bike race, but it’s an important bike race. It hurts to be caught at a hundred metres to go, but I played my cards. I was focused this morning. I wanted to race well and I wanted to win," Longo Borghini said.
"Next time they’re not going to catch me," she added with conviction.
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Longo Borghini promised to return in 2026 to try to win again and in the future as a roadside fan. "This is more than a race for me," the Italian national champion explained.
"I've brought my family to watch the men's race in the past and one day, when I'm retired, I hope to watch the women's race on the Poggio."
Longo Borghini is not a sprinter and knew that the Poggio would not split the strongest riders. She risked everything on a late attack after the descent of the Poggio and on Aurelia road into San Remo.
"The Poggio was really fast, with the tailwind. I knew I couldn't get away there, so I played my cards the best way I could. This is cycling, this is San Remo," Longo Borghini said.
"I've watched Jasper Stuyven's 2021 late attack 500 times. I knew they might look at each other but unfortunately for me, there were too many riders in the group from SD Worx and especially the world champion [Lotte] Kopecky, who never makes a mistake and then Lorena was there, who is the fastest sprinter in the world at the moment.
"I hoped to make it, like I hoped at the World Championships but I'll be paid back for my efforts one day," she said.
"You never attack unless you think you can make it, and I did believe I could make it, until just before the line, when everyone passed me. Then it was like, sorry to say it, but it was like 'f**k'!"
