‘She said she wanted to cry’ - Elisa Longo Borghini lauds team-mate after dominant Jebel Hafeet win

The Italian duo rode clear of the peloton at the UAE Tour to take a memorable one-two

Elisa Longo-Borghini and Gaia Realini
(Image credit: Getty)

When the podium announcer read out Gaia Realini’s name as the best young rider at the UAE Tour Women, Elisa Longo Borghini punched the air. 

Her diminutive Trek-Segafredo team-mate, who has idolised her since she was seven years old, had given everything for her on stage three’s climb to Jebel Hafeet. So strong were the duo, that from 5km to go, they rode solo up the craggy limestone monolith. They laughed together as they approached the line, where Realini eased off and let Longo Borghini roll her wheel over first. 

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