Setmana Valenciana: Elisa Balsamo sprints to stage 1 victory

Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) sprinted to the win on her first race day of the 2024 season, beating Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease A Bike) and Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Cannondale) to the line on the opening stage of the Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana.

Dani Ostanek
Senior News Writer

Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, joining in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Before joining the team, they had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur.

Dani has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France, Road World Championships, and the spring Classics. They have interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars, including Mathieu van der Poel, Demi Vollering, and Remco Evenepoel. Their favourite races are the Giro d'Italia, Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix.

Season highlights from the 2024 season include reporting from Paris-Roubaix –  'Unless I'm in an ambulance, I'm finishing this race' – Cyrus Monk, the last man home at Paris-Roubaix – and the Tour de France – 'Disbelief', gratitude, and family – Mark Cavendish celebrates a record-breaking Tour de France sprint win.

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