It might be a growing trend. As the level and depth of the peloton increases, races get a wider variety of winners and classic courses become less selective, even though some other such as the recent Ronde van Drenthe proved otherwise.
Coryn Rivera’s victory at Trofeo Binda is a good example of this. Team Sunweb’s new signing was the fastest among the 25-rider group that sprinted for the win in Cittiglio. It was a surprising winner and also a surprisingly big group for a race that seems made for climbers and the strongest all-rounders.
But Rivera was mainly known as a sprinter. A sprinter who could climb to an extent, but still a sprinter. So this win is perhaps one that will open new doors for her in the near future.
The first half of the race was pretty much uneventful except for a short lived breakaway of three riders: Silvia Valsecchi (BePink-Cogeas), Simona Frapporti (Hitec Products) and Anna Trevisi (Alé-Cipollini). It became more agressive once the peloton entered the final 4-lap circuit around Cittiglio. Orica-Scott animated the race first with an attack of Jessica Allen and later with Giorgia Williams. Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon//SRAM) and Sabrina Stultiens (Team Sunweb) also tried to escape from the main peloton but never got an important time gap.
A more dangerous move in the penultimate lap was created by Marianne Vos (WM3 Pro Cycling), Shara Gillow (FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine-Futuroscope), Alena Amialiusik (Canyon//SRAM) and Katrin Garfoot (Orica-Scott). The remaining riders of the chasing group had to work hard to catch them after a couple of kilometres.
Then Orica-Scott made another brilliant attack with Garfoot. A very small, selected group went clear after the Casalzuigno short climb including race favourites Kasia Niewiadoma (WM3 Pro Cycling), Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle-High5) and Garfoot’s teammate Annemiek van Vleuten. For a moment it looked like the definitive move, but eventually the chasers caught the Aussie and were also neutralized by a bigger peloton at the top of the Orino climb. Nobody could escape the group of the descent and Coryn Rivera won the sprint ahead of Astana’s Arlenis Sierra (who strangely celebrated her 2nd position as if it was a win) and Cervélo-Bigla’s young super talent Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig.
Elisa Longo Borghini remains on top of the Women’s WorldTour ranking after 3 races with 220 points, followed by Elena Cecchini (185) and Annemiek van Vleuten (170).