Champion on the bike and in life, graduated in modern and contemporary literature, queen of sprints, wife of Davide Plebani and a lady of great achievements: in categories from juniors to elite road, she has won 2 gold medals at World Championships and one at the European Championships.

Moreover, on the track, Elisa Balsamo's gold medals are 4 at World Championships, 13 at European Championships, and one at the European Games. Her victories in road races are now countless.

If women's cycling has made a quantum leap, it's thanks to athletes like Elisa, the diamond point of Lidl-Trek, who is entering the most important part of her season, that of the classics. Among the VIPs who admire her is Cordiano Dagnoni, president of the Italian Cycling Federation: "Elisa is the best example we have, as she was a model student, used to getting high grades. She is versatile, can play the piano, and despite being extremely busy with cycling, she graduated early. Elisa has always performed at the highest levels in various track specialties and road classics; to achieve this, she made many sacrifices. Many times she traveled by train from Cuneo to Montichiari to train optimally at the velodrome assisted by our technicians. She is, in general, a great virtuous example for all young girls approaching cycling, especially multi-discipline cycling."

Elisa is also a champion of humility: "She works well with her teammates," Dagnoni emphasizes, "one can only speak of Elisa in flattering terms."

Two World Tour races that Elisa has marked with a red pen on her seasonal program are approaching: the Trofeo Binda from Luino to Cittiglio and the new Sanremo Women. In the last 3 editions of the "Binda", Balsamo has obtained 2 victories and a 2nd place. Her former teammate Elisa Longo Borghini also boasts 2 successes at Binda.

The race on March 16th could be a showdown between the two great women of Italbici. "It will be a beautiful challenge with Longo Borghini and other champions. I will aim for victory very determinedly," Balsamo said at the presentation of the Varese race. The Sanremo women's race of 156 kilometers, which is the entire last section of the men's classic, is even more suitable for Balsamo, who can take advantage of it to gain or consolidate her World Tour ranking leadership. "It's the ranking I would like to be first in by the end of 2025," Elisa admitted.

At the Sanremo finish line, a great challenge is shaping up between Balsamo, Lotte Kopecky, Demi Vollering, Elisa Longo Borghini, Lorena Wiebes, and other super women. Marco Velo is the new coach of the women's national road team. This year, the European Championship in France and the World Championship in Rwanda will take place on routes with elevation changes.

"The women's World Championship," says Velo, "has too many long climbs, I don't think I'll bring Balsamo. Regarding the European Championship in the Ardèche, before doing without a girl of Elisa's caliber, I want to carefully evaluate the route. Some routes are labeled 'tough' but are only partially so. Among the sprinters, Elisa is the best at climbing, and this should not be overlooked."

from Tuttosport