“I grew up with this race watching Philippe Gilbert winning" - Elisa Longo Borghini hoping to fulfill childhood dream with victory in Liege
Cycling
Elisa Longo Borghini has already tasted success on multiple occasions so far this year with wins at the Tour of Flanders and Brabantse Pijl. Winning Liege-Bastogne-Liege Femmes this Sunday however, would fulfill a childhood dream for the Italian.
“I grew up with this race watching Philippe Gilbert winning it and I was always fascinated as a kid and as a young girl," the Lidl-Trek leader, who's competed at every iteration of Liege-Bastogne-Liege Femmes since its introduction to the racing calendar in 2017, tells GCN. "Finally, we have got Liege for us and it is a race I really enjoy. Well, I say ‘enjoy’ - I like to be at the start and then I don’t really enjoy Roche-aux-Faucons.”
As mentioned, Longo Borghini has been an ever-present at Liege-Bastogne-Liege Femmes since its inaugural edition back in 2017. Twice a podium finisher, the Italian's best result came last year with a second-place finish behind Demi Vollering. “I think it is a hard race and a long one. I am an endurance rider so probably it suits me for this reason and in the end, I have a lot of love for this race - I just like it a lot,” she tells GCN.
“You can never underestimate Vollering, she is one of the big favourites for Sunday and I think she will be there," the 32-year-old continues, previewing this year's edition of the race. "Of course, it is easier if I come to the finish alone, but she is strong and it is hard to drop her, she will be there trying to do her best also.”
“Our (Lidl-Trek's ed.) mentality is to play the game and whoever wins we are happy. I think we are going into Liege with a very strong team and many cards to play. We will just do our own race and focus on our own tactic, then whatever the outcome will be, the most important thing is that we do our 110% best,” Longo Borghini concludes. “Obviously being solo makes you feel much safer, so it is the ideal scenario for every race you race, but if you can’t you just have to sprint for the best place you can.”
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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