49th Trofeo Alfredo Binda, WWT, March 16th, 2025

[Samu Cuenca]

The oldest race in the women's World Tour will be crowning its 49th winner tomorrow, and a fresh batch of knitted Alfredo frogs will get some new homes as well.

With RCS stepping up and finally introducing a second iteration of Milano-Sanremo for women, there were concerns to be had regarding its impact on this race. However the startlist actually looks stronger than what have been the case in recent editions. Demi Vollering attending for the first time since 2019 obviously does some heavy lifting here.

The course has become more durable sprinter friendly over the years, best illustrated by Elisa Balsamo winning two of the last three editions, and she would likely have won the third one, too, if Shirin van Anrooij hadn't been allowed to take a flyer two years ago. The organisers have beefed up the route a little bit this time around by adding a full 6th lap on the circuit, which means the race will break the 150 km barrier for the first time. We've previously heard that the circuit has been reopened to traffic before the last riders have finished, so I sincerely hope the longer route won't result in even more unsafe situations.

The race will begin at around 12:45 CET and will finish about four hours later. The live broadcast is scheduled to start at 15:45 on ES, or whatever it's now called in your country, but other sources claim there will be a stream available earlier than that.

Start list:

2025 Trofeo Alfredo Binda

The 2025 Trofeo Alfredo Binda - Comune di Cittiglio was won by Elisa Balsamo of Lidl-Trek.

firstcycling.com

Spoiler: Course Info

 

[Didinho]

With the extra lap and Vollering/Puck it’ll be hard to have a reduced sprint again.

 

[Mina.S]

Seems to be no live coverage again here in Australia. I’m actually excited for HBO max so I can watch women’s cycling live again.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

This is a strong breakaway, but I'm not sure what the gap is at this point . FDJ have two riders in it, but they will probably be dropped if the pace gets too hard on the climbs.

 

[Didinho]

PCS has under a minute now.

 

[Didinho]

Anyone a good livestream?

 

[JR1012]

Anyone a good livestream?

Not yet. Waiting screen with music on discovery plus.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Anyone a good livestream?

I've found a stream that says it will go live at 15:55, but I doubt it's genuine.

 

[Didinho]

Got one. Finally images.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

So we start out with pictures from the junior race won by Megan Arens, while her teammate Sidney Swierenga easily beat CX/MTB rider Anja Grossmann for second place. Ida Dam Fialla, who won the Danish Jr ITT last year despite not yet being a junior, finished in the top 10, and so did CX rider Elisa Bianchi, who I know was training with Silvia Persico a few times over the winter.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

31 km to go and everything is back together.

 

[JR1012]

Love it. No one wants to work with Vollering.

 

[yaco]

That Liv Alula was within 15 metres of AVDB and sat up. You have to go with her and is you are strong enough you can get dragged to the final.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Surely some of them should either have continued to pull or have attacked before the large group made it back.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Love it. No one wants to work with Vollering.

Well, that would be common sense for most of them, though, I mean, she's proving herself brutally strong. The good news for Demi is that she should be used to nobody working with or for her by now.

 

[Didinho]

Liv with 5 riders. Give me a Letizia podium/win please. Glad she’s still there and getting better every race.

 

[JR1012]

Balsamo takes it.

 

[Didinho]

Cat podium. Impressive.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

The final of the race just screamed for another Balsamo victory. You only have be in front in the final meters.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

This race used to be a highly selective hilly race, but as professionalism increases, so the nature of the race changes and it's now, instead of being one for the climbier riders, is well within the realm of the durable sprinters and punchy types.

I feel they need to review the parcours soon to maintain its character and the role it has held within the women's cycling calendar, maybe make it a bit more like Tre Valli Varesine or include a tougher climb of the area in the initial long lap before the final circuit, but obviously three of the last four editions have ended in sprints.

But they're sprints won by a home favourite, so I'm sure that will be a factor against any such changes any time soon

 

[Samu Cuenca]

This race used to be a highly selective hilly race, but as professionalism increases, so the nature of the race changes and it's now, instead of being one for the climbier riders, is well within the realm of the durable sprinters and punchy types.

I feel they need to review the parcours soon to maintain its character and the role it has held within the women's cycling calendar, maybe make it a bit more like Tre Valli Varesine or include a tougher climb of the area in the initial long lap before the final circuit, but obviously three of the last four editions have ended in sprints.

But they're sprints won by a home favourite, so I'm sure that will be a factor against any such changes any time soon

If Sanremo proves to be too hard a race for the sprinters, which I'm expecting it to be, I won't be against the parcours remaining unchanged here.

If Demi had reacted right away to that ELB attack on the last ascent of Orino, where she ended up overtaking her before the top, I think there's a chance she could have won solo.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

If Sanremo proves to be too hard a race for the sprinters, which I'm expecting it to be, I won't be against the parcours remaining unchanged here.

If Demi had reacted right away to that ELB attack on the last ascent of Orino, where she ended up overtaking her before the top, I think there's a chance she could have won solo.

In a vacuum, I'd agree, but with the history and traditional role Trofeo Binda has played within the calendar, I feel it should remain a race for the hilly types first and foremost. Just personal choice, a bit like the talk of the Itzulia parcours last year; in terms of a six day race in a vacuum it was a decent parcours, but it lacked any of the characteristics and features that are specific to Itzulia and so it didn't feel right for the race. Just like Erik Zabel winning Amstel Gold was seen as a sign that the route needed beefing up, I feel that Balsamo winning three editions of Trofeo Binda out of four is a sign that the route needs beefing up.

 

[yaco]

I was surprised that Liv Alula did not roll the dice and attack in the last 10kms, siing they had a full complement of riders, however, they seemed to ride for the sprint.

 

[yaco]

If Sanremo proves to be too hard a race for the sprinters, which I'm expecting it to be, I won't be against the parcours remaining unchanged here.

If Demi had reacted right away to that ELB attack on the last ascent of Orino, where she ended up overtaking her before the top, I think there's a chance she could have won solo.

Reckon some sprinters may make it to the final of MSR. I am basing this on the lack of cooperation so far this year if there is a group of 3 or 4. Of course a rider could get away solo.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

In a vacuum, I'd agree, but with the history and traditional role Trofeo Binda has played within the calendar, I feel it should remain a race for the hilly types first and foremost. Just personal choice, a bit like the talk of the Itzulia parcours last year; in terms of a six day race in a vacuum it was a decent parcours, but it lacked any of the characteristics and features that are specific to Itzulia and so it didn't feel right for the race. Just like Erik Zabel winning Amstel Gold was seen as a sign that the route needed beefing up, I feel that Balsamo winning three editions of Trofeo Binda out of four is a sign that the route needs beefing up.

I can understand that from a nostalgic/historic stand point, but now that MSR has come back around it will probably over time lose the prestige and role it has had within the sport. It doesn't help that the broadcast ended up starting later than it expected so we only got to see the minimum 45 minutes of live racing.

If it's going to be locked in the week in-between SB and MSR, I don't mind if more riders can potentially win this than the other two, but for that to happen, there obviously got to be an edition soon where the strongest and not just the fastest rider or someone from their team wins.

Looking at it now it's quite crazy that a shorter race on the same course could create such big gaps four years ago. I know that G2 syndrome kicked in on that occasion after ELB had made the difference because no one wanted to tow Vos to the line, but that group still finished a minute ahead of the next one.

To today's race credit, it turned out easy enough for Petra Stiasny to make it into to the large group, but also hard enough for her to put in a dig on the last time up Orino.