In its 23 editions, the Trofeo Alfredo Binda has secured its place as one of the most important races on the women’s racing calendar, forming a part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour since 2016.
Its route, confirmed to be the same course as last year, offers opportunities for victory to arise from both solo attacks and reduced bunch sprints. Indeed, a varied cast of riders have won the Trofeo Alfredo Binda in recent years.
Last year, for example, Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) launched a long-range attack, and rode in solo for the last 25 kilometres, while in 2017, Coryn Labecki (then Team Sunweb) won from an albeit reduced bunch sprint.
In total, the peloton will race 143km across the Lombardian hillsides, beginning in Cocquio-Trevisago and ending in Cittiglio. The first section of the course features a twice-repeated seven-kilometre loop through Olginasio and Besozzo. Then, the race takes in the Grantola and Brinzio climbs, before entering the final circuit which will be raced four times.
“Women's cycling is growing a lot: this year alone, much has been achieved,” said Paolo Sangalli, coach of the Italian national team, in a press release. “In fact the Trofeo Binda is now a ‘spring world championship’. I only see this kind of organization at the Olympics, the World Cup and the European Championships.”
Alongside its elite counterpart, a junior race has been held for the last nine years, proving to be a reliable indicator of future stars of the sport as it counts Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ) and Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM) among its former winners.
The junior peloton will also finish in Cittiglio, after completing a 73km course that includes two laps of the initial circuit followed by one lap of the final circuit.
The elite race will see 24 teams, including 12 WorldTour teams. In the junior race, meanwhile, several national teams will be represented, along with trade development teams such as NXTG Racing and Valcar-Travel & Service.
“The Mini-Trofeo Binda will see 13 national teams at the starting line and will be a small world championships,” Mario Minervino, president of Cycling Sport Promotion who organise the race, said in a press release.
“Unfortunately, we do not know yet if the public will be present or if there will be other restrictions. We would like to have the public as well as the children and side events that have always characterized the Trofeo Binda”.
