Women’s peloton verbally abused during the Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile

Christine Majerus on stage two of the Women's Tour (Andy Jones)

(Image credit: Andy Jones 2014)

If you ever needed proof of the obstacles that women’s cycling faces, a tweet from Wiggle-Honda’s Elisa Longo Borghini this afternoon will show as much.

The Italian rider, who won this year’s Tour of Flanders following an impressive solo break, posted on the social networking site that she overheard native spectators at today’s stage of the Giro d'Italia Internazionale Femminile near Genoa saying some rather uncomplimentary things about the women’s peloton.

Longo Borghini finished fifth in Loano, 2:41 behind solo stage winner Lucinda Brand (Rabo-Liv). She sits just 31 seconds behind race leader Megan Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans) going into the last two stages this weekend.

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This sadly isn't the first case of unsavoury language in the air at bike races this week: the UCI confirmed today that CCC Sprandi Pokowice rider Branislau Samoilau was fined a month's wages after reportedly aiming a racial slur at MTN-Qhubeka's Eritrean rider Natnael Berhane.

Michelle Arthurs-Brennan Editor of the Cycling Weekly website. An NCTJ qualified traditional journalist by trade, Michelle began her career working for local newspapers. She's worked within the bike industry since 2012, and joined the Cycling Weekly team in 2017, having previously been Editor at Total Women's Cycling. Prior to welcoming her first daughter in 2022, Michelle raced on the road, track, and in time trials. Whilst still packing in as many miles as she can, Michelle has dabbled in gym-based fitness, too, and is the title's expert in weight training, having gained a VTCT Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training in 2026.