Tre Valli Varesine Women: Liane Lippert wins with late solo attack

Movistar’s Liane Lippert soloed to victory in the Tre Valli Varesine women’s race, attacking in the final 5km and getting a jump on the lead group to go alone to the finish line in Varese.

Giro dell’Emilia winner Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ) took second after just failing to follow Lippert’s attack, whilst Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) took third from a chase group with Francesca Barale (dsm-firmenich) in fourth.

The final laps of the race, featuring the Casbeno and Montello climbs, were full of near-constant attacks, with the likes of Movistar, FDJ-SUEZ and UAE Team ADQ leading proceedings as several riders fought to get away, particularly in the final 10km.

None could make a move stick, though, until Lippert’s blistering attack, which no one could follow, capitalising on Movistar’s work throughout the race and delivering her to her fourth victory of the season.

An aggressive day of racing in northern Italy

Starting in Busto Arsizio, the peloton set out for 112km of racing around Varese on Tuesday morning. The day’s early breakaway established itself within the first 10km of racing, with Emanuela Zanetti (Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria), Noemi Eremita (GB Junior Team Piemonte Pedale Castanese A.S.D.) and Scarlett Souren (Parkhotel Valkenburg) getting away and soon building up a lead of three minutes over the first 25km of racing.

Despite the relatively non-threatening composition of the leading trio, it wasn’t to be a relaxed day of racing, and when the race hit the Varese climbing loop, Souren soon dropped her breakaway companions and pushed on alone going into the final 70km. Her solo effort proved to be a challenge, though, and she was reeled back in as the race entered the final 50km.

The catching of Souren set off a wave of counter-attacks, with her Parkhotel Valkenburg team keen to get another rider off the front, but it was dsm-firmenich’s Esmée Peperkamp who was able to get away and gain a slender advantage. In the peloton, it was Movistar who were controlling things, seemingly in support of 2021 winner here Arlenis Sierra. Alessia Vigilia (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) attempted to bridge to Peperkamp, but was brought back by her soon-to-be FDJ-SUEZ teammate Marta Cavalli.

Cavalli’s pursuit drew out a small chasing group from the peloton, with 10 riders - including Gaia Realini (Lidl-Trek), Claire Steels (Israel Premier Tech Roland) and Morgane Coston (Cofidis) - around 30 seconds down on Peperkamp as the race entered the final three circuits with 35km to go.

With 25km to go, the chasers caught Peperkamp, who were then subsequently caught by the rest of the peloton as a large group reformed going into the finale. This regrouping didn’t last for long, though, as the attacks soon kicked off again with constant moves, but nothing really sticking. With the likes of Erica Magnaldi and Alena Amialiusik in the lead group, it was UAE Team ADQ who were trying to control things.

The continued attacks strung out and splintered the remains of the peloton, with UAE and Movistar featuring in the front, alongside the likes of Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, Elisa Balsamo and Anouska Koster (Uno-X). Heading into the final lap, it was this strong group that was leading. Several riders continued trying to attack, but Movistar continued to shut everything down.

With 4km to go, Movistar’s Liane Lippert launched an attack, with Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig trying to follow the move but trailing the German by a few seconds, whilst Elisa Balsamo and Francesca Barale chased behind. None of the chasers could match Lippert’s strong and perfectly-timed attack, though, and as the finish line drew closer and the German’s lead grew, it became clear that her attack would be the winning one.

With one last look over her shoulder, Lippert confirmed that no one was going to catch her, and crossed the line solo to take victory. Uttrup Ludwig held on for second, whilst Balsamo outsprinted her compatriot Barale to take third.