"It turned out it was more of a critérium than a selective Classic race" - Elisa Longo Borghini settles for fifth place at Amstel Gold Race Ladies

Elisa Longo Borghini is having one of the best springs of her career with three major victories to her name. At Amstel Gold Race Ladies, fifth place in the sprint was maximum for the Italian champion, the Lidl-Trek rider admits afterwards.

"It turned out it was more of a critérium than a selective Classic race. My feeling were good, I played my cards the best I could. With so many fresh riders, it was difficult to do more," Longo Borghini says in press release.

"It was an easier course to manage but harder for those who wanted to make a selection. We cannot fault ourselves for anything. Looking back to the sprint, 5th place remains the best possible result. My thought goes to the people involved in the accident," she recalls the traffic incident which stopped the race for an hour at the beginning of the day.