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Elisa Balsamo (Valcar-Travel & Service) could not have asked for a better end to the 2021 season. After a somewhat disappointing Olympic campaign with the Italian athletics team where she missed medals in the team pursuit, Madison and Omnium, the 23 year old young woman refocused on the World Championships in Flanders where she was supported by a strong Italian team and sprinted to victory in Leuven.
Wearing her brand new rainbow jersey, Balsamo returned to her sales team to participate in the first Paris-Roubaix Femmes as well as the Women’s Tour where she won stage 6 in the sprint, beating Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM) who had won the previous two. steps. It was the perfect farewell gift as Balsamo had been announced at Trek-Segafredo at the end of August, after signing a three-year contract with the Women’s WorldTour team after five seasons with Valcar-Travel & Service.
“To win in this jersey is something special, it was the perfect day. This adventure with Valcar-Travel & Service could not have ended better, because it is my last race with the team. We also have showed today that we are only one. of the best teams in organizing a sprint train. We knew we were strong in the sprints, but today was perfect. My team made a great lead for me, and I have to thank them for this victory, â€said Balsamo.
Balsamo is not an extremely prolific winner, but when she wins it is often a big win. She went winless in her first elite season at age 19, but has racked up 11 UCI victories since, including the U23 European Championships and the Tour of California and Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta stages before claiming the world title. .
Valcar Travel & Service was also happy with Balsamo’s victory in their last race for the team, tweeting “Thank you Elisa! This rainbow jersey victory is the best gift you could have given our team. “.
The world champion is the latest in a succession of talented riders who moved on to bigger teams after being developed into the Italian team dressed in blue and pink, following in the footsteps of Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ceratizit-WNT) , Teniel Campbell (Team BikeExchange), and Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope). For 2022 and beyond, Trek-Segafredo will earn a strong sprinter who is also versatile in classic and more hilly races – and brings the rainbow jersey.
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