Elisa Longo Borghini secured the bronze medal in the elite women’s road race at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal, finishing behind silver medalist Kasia Niewiadoma of Poland and newly crowned World Champion Demi Vollering of the Netherlands. Longo Borghini, riding for UAE Team ADQ, completed the course to capture her fourth career world championship medal, adding to previous bronze finishes in 2012, 2020, and 2024, alongside two Olympic bronze medals won at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021.
Race Dynamics and Winning Attacks in Montreal
Demi Vollering claimed the gold medal and her first career world title by animating the race with a decisive attack thirty-nine kilometers from the finish line, according to race reports. The Dutch rider capitalized on a strong season to outpace Poland’s Kasia Niewiadoma in a tight sprint finish. Elisa Longo Borghini launched her own counter-move on the final climb of the Voie Camillien-Houde, briefly holding a ten-second advantage before the leading pair reeled her in. Longo Borghini fought off a late charge from Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser to cross the line four seconds behind the winners and secure third place.
Italy’s Medal Count at the World Championships
Longo Borghini’s bronze marks the fifth medal for the Italian delegation at the Montreal championships. A mid-race mass crash affected several race favorites, but Longo Borghini maintained position through the chaos to earn a spot on the podium.