Reigning Italian Champion Elisa Longo Borghini and former world Champion Elisa Balsamo have both departed the Tour de France Femmes ahead of stage 7 of the race, leaving Lidl-Trek without two of the team’s strongest riders.
In an announcement on Saturday morning, Lidl-Trek said, “Elisa Balsamo won’t start Stage 7 due to fatigue. She was making her return to racing at TDFF after her crash at RideLondon Classique and so it’s been decided to miss the last two stages with an eye on preparing for the World Championships in Glasgow.”
Balsamo won the rainbow stripes at the World Championships in Leuven in 2021, and was previously junior world champion in 2016. She approaches the 2023 World Championships in Glasgow as a major favourite.
While her departure may not be surprising in that context, Longo Borghini’s exit from the race is less expected given she is currently fourth in the general classification and at the same time as Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar).
“Unfortunately Elisa Longo Borghini has also had to withdraw from the Tour de France Femmes ahead of today’s Col du Tourmalet stage, one which she was looking forward to,” the statement continued. ”The Italian champion has a skin infection at the top of the left thigh, which required hospital treatment after Stage 6 but is now under control. However, she is still in a considerable amount of pain and in the interest of her long-term health, the decision was made that she will not race any further.”
Longo Borghini was forced to abandon the Giro d’Italia Donne earlier this month following a crash on the final descent of stage 5 - she had been second overall in the general classification at the time.
“Luckily the consequences of my fall weren't as bad as we assumed at the first check-up,” she said at the start of the Tour de France Femmes. “So now I just have some sore ribs and I'm ready to go. I think nothing really changed in terms of my condition because of the crash. I'll be here hunting for stages and looking around for the GC. I will just take it day by day and see what the final result will be,” Longo Borghini added.
Following Longo Borghini and Balsamo’s departure, Lidl-Trek will continue with five riders, including Lizzie Deignan. Amanda Spratt is now the highest-placed Lidl-Trek rider in the general classification in 12th position.
In total, 21 riders have now left the 2023 race.
