Elisa Longo Borghini secured the overall victory in the Giro d’Italia Women on September 30, 2023, finishing the race 18 seconds ahead of Marlen Reusser from Movistar. Longo Borghini, who took the lead from Reusser during the penultimate stage, defended her pink jersey successfully in the final stage, despite finishing fourth on the day.
The eighth stage took riders from Forlì to Imola, where Liane Lippert, also from Movistar, claimed victory in a thrilling sprint against Anna van der Breggen from SD Worx-Protime. The two riders broke away from a group of 12 in the final three kilometers, setting the stage for an exciting finish.
“It’s a bit unreal to win two stages here. Unfortunately, we lost the maglia rosa. Marlen was not feeling great, struggling with something, but we kept on fighting,” Lippert said. “We said, ‘OK, we accept yesterday, today we go full gas for the stage.’ It was also great to see the whole team was on fire, Marlen was riding for me, and I had the confidence to finish it off today, also to make Marlen happy again.”
Lippert’s decisive move came after she followed Van der Breggen’s attack on the descent leading to the Imola racing track. Once in the sprint, Lippert proved too strong for her rival. “Marlen and I both knew without talking that if Anna goes, we have to be there. In the end, I was with Anna, and it was a perfect situation for me,” she added.
With this win, Lippert leaves the Giro d’Italia with renewed confidence, stating, “I started the Giro thinking ‘I will not be good here, I will not be good in the Tour,’ now I’m going home with so much confidence. Our sport is like a rollercoaster, and everyone has to keep that in mind and always look for better times. They will come.”
This year’s Giro d’Italia Women has showcased incredible talent and determination, culminating in a memorable conclusion that highlighted the competitive spirit of women’s cycling.