Sunday’s Alfredo Binda 2019 will be the 44th edition, a surprisingly large amount of editions for a top level women’s race. Throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s the race was won mainly by Italians with few exceptions. Since the turn of the millennium, the race has only been won by home riders twice in 2000 and 2013. Indeed the dominant country on the top step of the podium has been the UK with 6 wins since 2005.
A fairly rolling terrain with lots of finishing circuits, last year Pole Katarzyna Niewiadoma was the winner in the rain after a solo attack and was flanked on the podium by the then World Champion Chantal Blaak and then European Champion Marianne Vos.
Women’s Trofeo Alfredo Binda 2019 Profile
Women’s Trofeo Alfredo Binda 2019 Contenders
The triple former winner is obviously in with another shout, Marianne Vos has finished 7th in Strade Bianche and 11th in Ronde van Drenthe – it’s an obvious call but a top-10 is always achievable for her, even if the win is less guaranteed now. The in-form rider at the moment is Marta Bastianelli. She’s got a lowest placing of 8th in her 6 races in 2019. She won last weekend’s Ronde van Drenthe, even if there were accusations of not pulling her weight by other riders. Ultimately that gamesmanship allowed her to cross the line first – even if she’s not the most popular because of it. 2nd place in that race and the one making clear her feelings is the also in-form Chantal Blaak. Since the Spring season has properly started, she’s finished 1st, 2nd and 10th in the three Women’s Worldtour races. She’s never won this race but has 5 top-10 finishes in it. It could be a repeat of Omloop het Nieuwsblad when she broke her duck there.
One of the home favourites, Trek’s Elisa Longo Borghini is a previous winner here back in 2013. She’s had a mixed bag of a season so far and hasn’t shown overwhelming form. A top-10 is possible but much higher is unlikely. Pole Katarzyna Niewiadoma has started the season well, 17th in Omloop het Nieuwsblad was followed up by a strong 3rd place in Strade Bianche, a race she seems destined to never win. She won here last year in a solo break in the rain and has always finished highly. She will be one to watch. Alena Amialiusik is another with a good history at the Trofeo Alfredo Binda – finishing in the top-5 on four occasions. She’s so far finished no higher than 21st place, which she managed in Strade Bianche. This may be the race where her 2019 season starts properly.
American Coryn Rivera was the 2017 winner. She’ll be hoping for the race to stay together until the end where she can sprint to victory. Her season started off well with strong results at Setmana Valenciana but she did very averagely in Strade Bianche and Nokere Koerse finishing 60th and 72nd. The Cuban Arlenis Sierra finished 2nd in 2017 so is another rider capable of a strong finish. Her season started off well in winning the Cadel Evans Road Race but she hasn’t raced for 2 months. She could do well here but it’s impossible to say what form she’s in after a long lay-off. Amanda Spratt will be back racing here after a crash at Strade Bianche where she got a head injury. She’s been 4th here twice before and dominated a lot of the Australian season earlier in the year. Post-crash she’s another wildcard rider who could finish highly but may not have fully recovered yet.
Bigla’s Cecile Uttrup Ludwig has finished 3rd and 7th here so clearly enjoys the Trofeo Alfredo Binda. After a solid start to the season at Setmana Valenciana, she finished 5th in Strade Bianche. A rider who’ll be hoping it doesn’t come down to a sprint, she might light things up on one of the final hills. If Niewiadoma isn’t feeling it, then her teammate Elena Cecchini may become a contender. She’s had 3 top-10 finishes before. She did well at Setmana Valenciana with 2 top-3 finishes and 12th at Omloop het Nieuwsblad was a good result too. South African champion Ashleigh Moolman has finished 10th three times here. Her great 6th place at Strade Bianche shows that she’s in the right sort of form to improve on that in 2019.
Women’s Trofeo Alfredo Binda 2019 Outsiders
Young Italian Elisa Balsamo was 11th last year, a rider with a sprint, her best chance is a bunch getting to the finish line together. She got a respectable 26th at the Drentse Acht van Westerveld in what was horrendously windy conditions. A nicer day in Italy should help her out. Eva Buurman may have to work for teammates but she finished 14th here last year. She’s another youthful rider who if let off the leash may be able to finish highly in her own right.
Sofie De Vuyst is a borderline outright contender, she’s in-form with two 8th place finishes in her two races so far in 2019. She’s also got two top-20 finishes in her two attempts at the Trofeo Alfredo Binda too. She’s someone who could finish very highly in the right conditions.
The final young Italian is Greta Marturano racing for Top Girls Fassa Bartolo. She finished 2018 strongly and is making the next jump up in 2019. She’s very much one for the future.
Women’s Trofeo Alfredo Binda 2019 Prediction
1 – Chantal Blaak
2 – Katarzyna Niewiadoma
3 – Marta Bastianelli
