Elisa Longo Borghini going to celebrate her first Tour podium with a "week's worth rest on the couch"
Cycling
Even though Elisa Longo Borghini was not at her best during the 2026 Tour de France Femmes, the Italian champion secured a podium spot through tenacity and consistence. While many pre-race favourites fell out of contention during the week, Longo Borghini persisted and an overall third place is her well-deserved reward.
On the final day in Nice, the GC battle opened up soon as the main group shrunk to only a select few very early into the stage. And when third-overall Marlen Reusser dropped with 60 kilometers to go and a little later crashed too, the situation was suddenly perfect for Longo Borghini who only had to make sure not to lose a minute to Antonia Niedermaier who has been working for Kasia Niewiadoma.
In the end, the defensive approach fit Longo Borghini quite well as she herself did not feel 100% on the last ascent of Col d'Eze. Thus, following when race leader Demi Vollering accelerated was not really an option. But with the help of Paula Blasi, the UAE Team L'IMAD ladies avoided any dangerous scenario.
"I told Paula (teammate Paula Blasi, ed.) not to ride too hard on the climbs," said the Italian champion. "I couldn’t keep up with Demi (Vollering) and Kasia (Niewiadoma). Eventually, I started focusing on Niedermaier to achieve the best possible result. I made sure she couldn’t attack."
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"In the end, we went for the sprint with Paula. I even had a flat tire myself at the finish. But that was it as far as bad luck went this year. Compared to previous years, it wasn't too bad at all. It is incredible that I am standing here on the podium," said the UAE L'IMAD rider.
A podium, at last
Longo Borghini therefore concludes the 2026 Tour de France Femmes in third position, 4:19 behind overall winner Demi Vollering, in what is her career best result at the French Grand Tour (previously DNF, DNF, and 6th).
As for Longo Borghini, the 34-year-old now above all craves a bit of rest, hoping to return fresh for the World and European Championships and Italian autumn classics. "Now I just want to go home, see my friends and family. And lie on the couch for a week," she concluded with a laugh.
UAE Team L'IMAD have further two riders in top-7 with Paula Blasi in 5th spot (and second in white jersey competition) and Dominika Wlodarczyk in 7th. No wonder, the Emirati team also secures a team classification title.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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Rafionain-Glas02-11-2026 - Welcome to the off-season.
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