A prestigious podium finish for Eleonora Gasparrini at Milano-Sanremo Women, one of the most iconic Monument Classics, alongside another strong team performance from UAE Team ADQ, with Dominika Włodarczyk securing fifth place.
Despite the absence of team leader Elisa Longo Borghini, who was forced to withdraw the day before due to illness, the Emirati team tackled the 156 km race from Genoa to Sanremo with determination and strong team cohesion.
In the opening phase, the experience of Brodie Chapman and Alena Amialiusik proved crucial, as they guided the team safely through the peloton and played a key role in bringing back the breakaway before the Cipressa climb.
The race came alive on the Cipressa, where UAE Team ADQ consistently responded to every attack, keeping Dominika Włodarczyk, Mavi García, Silvia Persico and Eleonora Gasparrini among the leading riders.
On the descent, a crash involved several riders, including some of the peloton’s top names. Among them was also Alena Amialiusik, who fortunately escaped serious injury and was able to finish the race.
The decisive move came on the Poggio, where a select group formed featuring Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx – Protime), Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly), Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck), Eleonora Gasparrini and Dominika Włodarczyk.
In the finale, Włodarczyk set a strong pace at the front, preventing the chasing group from coming back. The race was decided in a sprint on Via Roma, where Lotte Kopecky took victory ahead of Noemi Rüegg, with Eleonora Gasparrini claiming an excellent third place and a prestigious podium for UAE Team ADQ. Dominika Włodarczyk finished fifth.
Eleonora Gasparrini said: “This is definitely a very important podium in such a legendary race, and I’m really happy. The team did an amazing job from the start. In the key moments, we were always at the front and they kept me safe in the bunch. In the final, I managed to bridge across to the lead group and, together with Dominika, we had a numerical advantage. Once again, we’re proving how strong this team is. Personally, this podium means a lot to me.”
(ph. Getty Sport)
