Elisa Longo Borghini admits she feared career was over before Giro d'Italia Women - ‘I’ve been very sick’

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Elisa Longo Borghini has revealed she feared for her career after falling ”very sick” in the early part of 2026, but bounced back with a stage win on Sunday afternoon.

Longo Borghini thought she was 'done' after challenging time - 'I was very sick'

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The UAE Team ADQ rider sprinted past Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek) to claim a sublime win on the final stage of the Giro d’Italia Women.

The 34-year-old was the back-to-back defending champion coming into the Giro, and although she was unable to complete the three-peat, just competing and landing a stage win carried extra significance this year.

”This means much more than a win,” she said afterwards. ”This is a comeback.

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”I don’t hide that I’ve been vulnerable these months, both in my body and also in my mind.

”There were days where I thought everything probably would never come back and I was maybe done.

”I’ve been very sick the past three months and I worked very hard to come back. I’m not still 100% but I didn’t want to leave this Giro without leaving a mark.

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”And today on the bus I felt this anger inside me and I was like, ‘I have nothing to lose, I don’t care about the GC, I just want to go and do it for my team-mates who are simply amazing’.

”I just wanted to win. It was the only thing I was thinking today: to win. This is a victory that goes to all the people who love me.”

Despite her lack of preparation, Longo Borghini still managed to secure a fourth-placed finish in the GC, just shy of three minutes down on winner Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez).

A stirring effort and one she was proud of.

”When you don’t have legs you have to use your head and your heart,” she added. ”The heart can do a lot, the will can do a lot.

”In the end, we are humans and it’s fine to lose and it’s fine also to be on your knees and get up and to put your chin up and fight with pride.”

Longo Borghini was also eager to dedicate her performance to one of her team-mates, Alena Amialiusik, who was riding in the final Giro of her career.

”We celebrated a lot of riders who are finishing their careers, but we never mentioned one of the riders who is one of the best domestiques in the world and that is Alena Amialiusik, my team-mate,” Longo Borghini added .

”This victory is also for her because it’s her last Giro and next year she will stop. Thank you very much for everything you did for me.”

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Giro d'Italia Women