Giro dell'Emilia Donne Internazionale: Elisa Longo Borghini takes strong victory

The Giro dell'Emilia Donne Internazionale provided another spectacular edition, and Elisa Longo Borghini has taken yet another victory in a race where she has thrived in the past.

The race had a flat start and was not as difficult as the men's event when it came to the final circuit. With only two ascents of San Luca, it meant the fireworks only happened late in the day; with the breakaway being caught in the first ascent by an attacking Cédrine Kerbaol.

But the race split up quite hard already on that first ascent; with Lidl-Trek duo Gaia Realini and Elisa Longo Borghini, Juliette Labous and Niemke Vinke taking the head of the race into the final ascent of the 2-kilometer climb.

Then on the final climb Longo Borghini, who was third last week on the World Championships, put in a stinging attack and soared to the race win. Her teammate Gaia Realini was second whilst Juliette Labous wrapped up the podium