Paris-Roubaix champions make an unbeatable team while Balsamo brings winning sprint, Van Dijk time trial power and Realini a new face in the mountains
Lizzie Deignan and Elisa Longo Borghini celebrating placing first and third at Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2021(Image credit: Getty Images)
Few riders are in tune with one another like Lizzie Deignan and Elisa Longo Borghini. The pair are set to key off one another for an exciting season of racing that will undoubtedly give Trek-Segafredo the edge against their rivals on the Women's WorldTour in 2023.
Deignan is currently on maternity leave following the birth of her second child in September, but she is expected to return to racing in 2023. She has also extended her contract with Trek-Segafredo through the end of 2024.
Trek-Segafredo signed Deignan in 2018, during her first pregnancy, and she later returned to racing at the Ardennes Classics in April of 2019 and won a second overall title at the Women's Tour. The following year, she won Liège-Bastogne-Liège, La Course and GP de Plouay. She also went on to secure a history-making win at the inaugural Paris-Rouabix Femmes (2021), where Longo Borghini finished third on the podium.
Deignan and Longo Borghini have given cycling fans some of the most dynamic tactical racing in the sport, and it will be an asset to Trek-Segafredo that the pair will reunite as teammates next year.
While Deignan was on leave this year, Longo Borghini gave the team a second consecutive, confidence-boosting victory at Paris-Roubaix, the overall title at the Women's Tour, and 4th at the Giro d'Italia Donne, 6th at the Tour de France Femmes, and 2nd at the Challenge by la Vuelta.
Deignan was on-hand ahead of Paris-Roubaix Femmes to help the team during the preview of the route, and she gave Longo Borghini a few tips that helped her use her savvy sprint to win the Women's Tour title on the final day.
A similar dynamic formed between Longo Borghini and compatriot Elisa Balsamo at Trek-Segafredo this year with the pair keying off of one another at some of the biggest races.
The season saw Balsamo bookend a remarkable season with victories in the rainbow jersey at stage 1 of the Setmana Valenciana and on the final stage 5 at the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta. In between, Balsamo secured a 'golden week' of wins at Trofeo Alfredo Binda, Brugge-De Panne and Gent-Wevelgem. She also secured a stage win at the Tour de Suisse, two wins at Giro d'Italia Donne, and won the road race at the Italian National Championships.
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In total, the team secured 33 victories across Balsamo, Longo Borghini, time trial world champion Ellen van Dijk, Lucinda Brand, Shirin van Anrooij, and Audrey Cordon-Ragot. They also finished in second place behind SD Worx in the Women's WorldTour and World Ranking.
Elisa Balsamo wins Trofeo Alfredo Binda 2022 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)
Next year sees departures from Cordon-Ragot, Chloe Hosking, Amalie Dideriksen, Letizia Paternoster and Leah Thomas. However, incoming riders include Amanda Spratt, Brodie Chapman, Lisa Klein, Gaia Realini, and Ilaria Sanguineti, increasing the team's depth and versatility when combined with other returning riders, Lauretta Hanson, Elynor Bäckstedt and Tayler Wiles.
We can expect Trek-Segafredo, again, to utilize their exceptional teamwork to perform across the Spring Classics while contesting the biggest summer stage races at the Giro d'Italia Donne and the Tour de France Femmes.
They are one of the most cohesive teams in the peloton, particularly in the finals, where they often have several options to play.
Deignan's return to the peloton brings a winning mentality, strength, experience and leadership across various races, from the Classics to stage races throughout the season. Her ability to work impeccably with her teammates in pursuit of a victory will add another level of excitement to the races and enhances the team's overall success in 2023.
Other storylines to follow in 2023
Ellen van Dijkis beginning her 18th year in the pro peloton and has extended with Trek-Segafredo through 2024. She has breathed new life into her career and inked her name into the history books as the new holder of the women's Hour Record, covering 49.254 kilometres in the Velodrome Suisse in Grenchen. She also won her third individual time trial world title in Wollongong and is one of the most selfless domestiques in the sport. Watch for her to continue building on her successes in 2023.
Elisa Balsamohad a standout season with 10 victories. Embarking on her second season with Trek-Segafredo, watch for the Italian Champion to contest the bunch sprints in the Spring Classics and Grand Tours. She narrowly missed out on a stage win at the Tour de France Femmes, so watch for her to target the eight-day race in 2023.
Amanda Sprattis about to embark on a major career change as she ends an 11-year tenure at Australian team BikeExchange-Jayco – the team where she started out as a professional racer – to join the American outfit Trek-Segafredo in 2023. She brings a wealth of experience and is another contender for the Classics and the Grand Tours.
Gaia Realiniis not as well known as her new teammates at Trek-Segafredo, but she has consistently performed among the top 10 at the Giro d'Italia Donne while racing for second-tier teams. A pure climber, watch for Realini to perform in the high mountains.
Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.
