"She is really outstanding at the moment" - Elisa Longo Borghini full of praise for the all-conquering Demi Vollering

Finishing best of the rest in second behind the all-conquering Demi Vollering at Liege-Bastogne-Liege Femmes, Elisa Longo Borghini used her post-race press conference to lavish praise on both her Trek-Segafredo teammates and the Vollering.

"I'm even a little emotional about this, which is because of the great work of the team. I was surrounded by blue all day long," says the 31-year-old Italian who improved upon her fifth-placed finish at last year's edition of the race. "Amanda Spratt was in the breakaway, Lucinda Brand and Lizzie Deignan were busy positioning all day. Gaia Realini did a great lead-out towards La Roche-aux-Faucons, and then I forget Shirin van Anrooij. The way she rode... awesome."

Despite the brilliant work of Longo Borghini's Trek - Segafredo teammates, Team SD Worx were once again unstoppable. Continuing their complete and utter domination of the women's World Tour in 2023, Demi Vollering completed her hat-trick of Ardennes Classics wins.

"She is really outstanding at the moment, just like her entire team. You always have those phases, and SD Worx is now clearly in such a phase," Longo Borghini praises before sending out a defiant message. "But I am convinced that, when everyone is fit again, we can compete with SD Worx. We already finished third with Shirin in the Amstel Gold Race and I am now second. That just shows that we have a good strength in depth, which is our quality."