Glasses raised at Spazio Azzurri for the award ceremony of Elisa Longo Borghini, who returned to the hotel with a bronze medal that is certainly not like any other, coming from someone who knows a thing or two about world championship podium finishes and more. The evening before had been Matilde Rossignoli's turn, animated by a sacred respect for the Ossolana cyclist, and teammate of Anna, the daughter of Paolo Longo Borghini.

Elisa reflects on her own compelling race performance: "I raced to win, taking on responsibility and risks. I had a blast, and I think those watching did too". Health permitting.

Elia Viviani praises the power of the female contingent in the Italian camp: "our girls are splendid, they know how to entertain us, we're enjoying another medal shared with the staff who are always involved at every crucial moment of the race, when Elisa herself believed in victory. The shake-up at the front, when a certain Vollering's advantage was whittled down, says it all".

It's 7 p.m. local time at the Imperia&Suites in Boucherville, but the condensed emotions experienced are difficult to dilute, even as the toast calls out, with a particularly welcome guest present for Longo Borghini, Luca Guercilena. Relaxed faces, while Lello Ferrara at the microphone invites the Ossolana to show off her medal and she pulls it from her tracksuit pocket. The national coach arrives and the other Italian athletes join in (even an injured Erica Magnaldi is present), but the picture cannot be complete without Marta Bastianelli. The closing remarks go to president Cordiano Dagnoni: "I'd say that even now the balance of this expedition is very positive, we've improved the overall number of medals compared to Kigali".