Elisa Balsamo has no regrets: “We couldn’t do better.”

Dutchwoman Lorena Wiebes wins: third is the other Italian national Rachele Barbieri

In the road race at the Women’s European Cycling Championships in Munich, Dutchwoman Wiebes won, with Elisa Balsamo second at the photo finish, while Rachele Barbieri finished third. That was the epilogue to the Munich race, which took place on a late summer day on a very fast circuit flown at an average of 42.2 km/h with 216 normalized watts, values similar to those of the classics.

The most intense moment, after 2h59’20” of running (142 km pedaled), was probably in the driveway located after the finish line, where there was a sharp bend giving to the right. The national team girls huddled around Elisa Balsamo and Rachele Barbieri, peering into staff phones at the sprint that was worth the European road champion jersey.

Elisa Balsamo watched and rewatched the sprint that awarded the title to Lorena Wiebes, gold medalist and eve’s favorite.

“We came really close to a breakthrough. The Dutchwoman and I were far apart and we didn’t understand who won,” Balsamo began, commenting on the race. “Better than that we couldn’t do. Wiebes has been dominating all year with a big gap, today we got closer and that is a positive note, maybe we would have needed a few more climbs. We each have our own periods of form and it is normal for each of us to have our own goals, today Wiebes hit hers. The fact remains that the work was crazy and I will never end thanking my teammates. After the Tour I rested for a week to get fresh energy. I look forward with confidence, I will certainly fight to continue to keep this jersey that, so far, has been a beautiful dream that I have enjoyed every day.”

Beaming Rachele Barbieri: “A beautiful bronze, although the important thing was to work for Elisa, we wanted her title. We knew we could be beaten, but we consider the test in Monaco a starting point for the World Championships,” said the Emilian athlete.