"Next time they're not gonna catch me" - Elisa Longo Borghini denied at the very last in dramatic Milano-Sanremo finale

For a moment, it looked as if Elisa Longo Borghini had timed her late attack to perfection at Milano-Sanremo Women 2025. Launching her move on the descent following the Poggio, the Italian national champion entered the final kilometre solo. Sadly for Longo Borghini, it ultimately wasn't to be as she was caught dramatically in the closing metres.

"I hoped for it, I believed in it: you don't make attacks like that unless you think you can win," reflected the UAE Team ADQ leader in quotes collected by TuttoBici from her post-race interview afterwards, admitting she began to dream of a famous win. "On the Poggio, there was a strong tailwind, and I tried to stay calm because moving there wouldn't have changed anything—it wouldn't have made a difference."

Despite the final disappointment, Longo Borghini also has no regrets. "I played my cards the best I could, but this time it wasn’t enough. It will help me next time. That’s cycling, what can I say..." she analyses honestly. "Racing the Milano-Sanremo was incredible for me. I carried my nieces in my heart—it was more than just a bike race, it was history for me. And at the end of my career, I hope to go back to the Poggio and watch the girls pass by."

As always, Longo Borghini is still smiling too. In a quick conversation with TNT Sports following the race, she paid tribute to the eventual winner Lorena Wiebes. "Chapeau to Lorena Wiebes. Next time, they're not gonna catch me," she concluded with defiance.