Two of the most powerful forces in women’s cycling of the last two decades, Marianne Vos and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, joined forces once again at Trofeo Alfredo Binda-Comune di Cittiglio, with both Visma-Lease a Bike riders near the front of Sunday’s race in the final stages though ultimately Vos had to settle for a spot just off the podium.
"It's a pity that I just came up short in the sprint, because I would have liked to take a nice place of honour here," Vos said in a team statement after she made her road season debut for 2025. "Nevertheless, I am happy with the feeling. A first race like this is always a bit exciting.”
A strong break went with under 100km to go as the race was in the first lap of six around the finishing circuit, with Visma-Lease a Bike’s Fem van Empel among the group of around a dozen riders.
"It was nice that we had Fem with us in the breakaway," said Vos. "Behind, we tried to stay sharp for the final, in which there were a lot of attacks.
"Our task was to keep control as much as possible. I think we succeeded well in that."
Vos and Ferrand-Prévot were strong in the final stages of the race, both in a group of nine at the head of the race with 10km to go, however with Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) powering the pursuit from the group behind it was a bunch of around 16 that came to the line to contest the sprint.
Ferrand-Prévot tailed off the back while Vos fought for a spot up the front, coming over the line fourth as Elisa Balsamo claimed her third win at the race, now sitting on a tally one less than Vos.
"Although the result could have been better, we can take this into the coming weeks," said Vos.
The opportunity, too, comes sooner rather than later with both Vos and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who finished third in Strade Bianche, slated to line up at the new edition of the women’s Milan-San Remo on March 22.
The race will continue the build toward a key goal of the season for Vos, April 12’s Paris-Roubaix Femmes, an event where she came second in the first women’s edition in 2021.
