The 2020 season restarts this week for Trek-Segafredo with the women’s team being the first to pin a number on their backs as they’ll compete in three hilly one-day races in the Basque Country in Northern Spain: Emakumeen Nafarroako Klasikoa (Thursday 23rd), Clasica Femenina Navarra (Friday 24th) and Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria (Sunday 26th).
Coming off a solid training period with two team camps, one in San Pellegrino, in the Dolomites, and other in the Basque Country, Trek-Segafredo will line up with strong and motivated squads which include former road world champion Lizzie Deignan, US Champion Ruth Winder, Ellen Van Djik and Elisa Longo Borghini.
In its maiden season Trek-Segafredo women’s team enjoyed great success in the Basque Country with Longo Borghini taking the overall win in the World Tour stage-race Emakumeen XXXII. Bira. The Italian rider will be making her 2020 road race debut and, like her teammates, is eager to race competitively and test her legs ahead of the Strade Bianche, the following weekend.
“The training in the Dolomites went really well. We had a great group of riders and staff. I’m grateful for being reunited with my team here in Spain after such a long lockdown period and I’m very much looking forward to racing with them again. We have a very strong team here even if, personally, I don’t know how my form will be as I’m coming straight from altitude and this can sometimes affect my performance in the first days but I’m so ready to race,” said Longo Borghini.
Elisa Longo-Borghini (ITA) wins Stage 4 of 2019 Emakumeen Bira. Photo by Balint Hamvas/velofocus.com
In a way this feels like the first day at school. I love racing, I’m made for racing and I’m just so excited to take the start, together with my teammates
The opening two races will be held in the hilly countryside around Pamplona. This Thursday’s Emakumeen Nafarroako Klasikoa will be suited for the climbers as it will take on four categorized climbs over an undulating 119km route with the highlight being the punchy Zuarrarrate ascent (6.3km at 5.1 percent) peaking just nine kilometers from the finishing line in Lekunberri.
On Friday, the Clasica Femenina Navarra, will be a more open affair as it includes seven shorter, easier classified climbs on a 121km-long parcours that starts and finishes in Pamplona.
For the third and final race on Sunday, the riders leave Pamplona and head to Durango for the Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria. The 113km-race, where Longo Borghini placed second back in 2016, consists of five rolling laps before heading off for two punchy ascents, the final one, a second category climb, coming just six kilometers from the finish line.
“Actually, these will be my very first races of 2020. I have good memories from Durango and the Basque Country in general. I must say I really like to race here. In a way this feels like the first day at school. I love racing, I’m made for racing and I’m just so excited to take the start, together with my teammates,” concluded Longo Borghini.
ROSTERS
Emakumeen Nafarroako Klasikoa (Thursday, July 23rd): Audrey Cordon-Ragot, Elisa Longo Borghini, Ellen Van Dijk, Lucinda Brand, Tayler Wiles and Lizzie Deignan.
Clasica Femenina Navarra (Friday, July 24th): Audrey Cordon-Ragot, Elisa Longo Borghini, Ellen Van Dijk, Lauretta Hanson, Lizzie Deignan and Trixi Worrack.
Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria (Sunday, July 26th): Elisa Longo Borghini, Ellen Van Dijk, Lucinda Brand, Tayler Wiles, Trixi Worrack and Ruth Winder.
