The Grand Prix of Liberation, organized for the fourth year by Claudio Terenzi’s team, opened this morning with the women’s race, sponsored by Salumi Coati and this year raised to category 1.1: it was a celebration for the long-awaited squadron UAE, which occupied the entire podium with (in strict order first-second-third) Chiara Consonni, Silvia Persico and Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini, with Federica Venturelli fourth. Fifth alias “before the others” Giada Borghesi of BTC Ljubljana Zhiraf.
Under a warning of rain which fortunately gave way to the splendid Roman sun, 113 athletes set off to tackle the 16 laps of the historic six kilometer Caracalla circuit. Eager to respect the predictions and avoid surprises, UAE immediately took the lead and blocked any attack attempt. Until, exactly halfway through the race, they led the attack with the four athletes mentioned above together with Borghesi and Elisa Valtulini of Bepink (a team that triumphed here last year with Silvia Zanardi).
The Argentine Anabel Yapura (Komugi Grand Est), Gemma Sernissi of K2 and the Afghan Yulduz Hashimi, one of the girls from the WCC team under the aegis of the International Federation, jumped on their heels. Kept at a safe distance from the leading sextet, the pursuers became five with 30 km to go, when Yapura was reabsorbed while the veteran Rasa Leleivyte (Aromitalia Vaiano) Beatrice Rossato (Isolmant Premac Vittoria) and the Belarusian were added to the group. Hanna Tserakh to act as stopper in favor of teammate Borghesi.
Up front, however, there was no story. In the third to last lap, Eleonora Gasparrini launched herself alone, and on the last lap she was joined by Persico and Consonni, creating a splendid triple save finish, while behind them Venturelli preceded Borghesi. Two minutes later Valtulini crossed the finish line sixth and Tserakh won the sprint of the group.
After two years ago, when they raced in Valcar, they placed in the first two positions, this year the great friends Persico and Consonni have reversed the roles: “It’s really a… Liberation for me – admits the Orobic class of ’99 beaming – because a great result has finally arrived after a series of placings. What a thrill to win in Rome alongside family and people who love me! I would like to thank the whole team for the great work that made all this possible, including the Development staff. We managed to make the selection we wanted and we made the gap respecting the predictions. I feel really good and I hope that this victory is an important step in a special year (it is the Olympic year and Chiara will be competing on the Italian track in Paris, ed.)”.
For Gasparrini the well-deserved combativeness award named in memory of Mario Carbutti, historic owner of the Cicli Lazzaretti shop who was among the main promoters of the women’s race. The women’s podium was awarded by the honorary vice-president of the UCI Renato Di Rocco, the godmother of the event Marta Bastianelli and the president of the regional FCI Lazio Maurizio Brilli.
Bastianelli himself underlined after the ceremony: “the beauty of a tight match right from the start in which the most awaited team was able to meet expectations while keeping the situation in hand. It wasn’t easy to complete the mission in this way, so congratulations to the UAE. And being on stage to reward athletes who I have always followed and hadn’t seen for a long time is a moment of true joy.”
Finally, the coach of women’s road cycling Paolo Sangalli: “A women’s liberation that highlighted the technical gap between the World Tour team and the Continentals, but at the same time the fundamental commitment of the latter who did their utmost to put the most highly rated opponents in difficulty and launched many quality Unders that they were seen today too.”
Highlights of the race and the official interview with Chiara Consonni will be available on the social channels of the Gran Premio Liberazione during the day.
RANKINGS GRAND PRIX OF LIBERATION – WE Catégorie1.1WE Organisateur: SSDARL TERENZI SPORT EVENTS Date 25/04/2024 Nombre de km:96,000 Moyenne du vainqueur:38,584 Rang UCI Doss. Id Nom Prénom Pays Code Equipe Temps/écart:
1 33 CONSONNI CHIARA ITA UAD UAE TEAM ADQ h 02:29:17 10015660026
2 31 PERSICO SILVIA ITA UAD UAE TEAM ADQ min.10010753947
3 32 GASPARRINI ELEONORA CAMILLA ITA UAD UAE TEAM ADQ 10031546808
4 35 VENTURELLI FEDERICA ITA UAD UAE TEAM ADQ 01:00 10029333285
5 23 BORGHESI GIADA ITA BZA BTC CITY LJUBLJANA ZHIRAF AMBEDO 10030646021
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