Letizia Borghesi at Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria(Image credit: Getty Images)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig returns to competition at Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria(Image credit: Getty Images)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig racing at Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria(Image credit: Getty Images)
Cédrine Kerbaol (Ceratizit-WNT) secured a rain-soaked solo victory at Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria. The Frenchwoman made a late-race attack out of a three-rider breakaway and crossed the line with five seconds to spare ahead of the sprint for second place between runner-up Evita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ) and third-placed Thalita de Jong (Lotto Dstny).
The peloton raced 113km, including multiple opening circuits, a sprint at Alto de Miota, and three back-to-back climbs in the final 30km of Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria. Those final ascents were Areitio (4.3km at 4.2%), Alto de Goiuria (5km at 4.8%), and a slightly shorter and steeper part of Alto de Goiuria (4.8km at 5.6%) before plummeting downhill toward the finish in Durango.
The race started under challenging weather conditions, with rain pouring during the first half, adding an element of unpredictability and threatening to play a crucial role in the outcome.
Although there was plenty of activity in the first half, the peloton remained intact along the opening circuits and over the intermediate sprint up the short Alto de Miota.
In the later stages of the race, a two-rider breakaway, including Lotta Henttala (EF Education-Cannondale) and Nina Berton (Ceratizit-WNT), emerged. The pair pushed their lead out to nearly a minute with under 40km to go. Although it was a valiant effort, Berton distanced Hentalla, and then they were both caught by a reduced peloton back together with 25km remaining.
Jelena Erić (Movistar) and Ana Vitória Magalhães (Bepink-Bongioanni) launched late-race attacks, but they were also brought back into the fold on the final ascent of Alto de Goiuria.
FDJ-SUEZ, with powerful climbers Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig and Evita Muzic, led the reduced field up the lower slopes of the climb as splits and smaller groups formed.
Muzic emerged at the front, followed by Thalita de Jong (Lotto Dstny), and the pair gained 15 seconds over the top with 7km to go. Cédrine Kerbaol (Ceratizit-WNT), who was close behind the two, managed to reconnect on the descent.
Kerbaol made her late-race and winning attack in the closing kilometres, distancing herself from Muzic and De Jong on the run-in to Durango. Racing through rain-soaked city streets, the Frenchwoman stormed across the finish line with the day's win.
Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.
