Annemiek van Vleuten seals overall victory at La Madrid Challenge as Elisa Balsamo wins final stage

Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) won La Madrid Challenge 2022 to add to wins at the Giro Donne and the Tour de France Femmes earlier in the year.

Elisa Balsamo (Trek–Segafredo) won the final stage after being led out by Elisa Longo-Borghini. Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx) in second and Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ), third, made up the podium on the day.

The last stage of five was a simple 96km, 17-lap criterium around the centre of Spain's capital. With no mountains points on offer to prevent Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo) from retaining the polka dot jersey, and the maillot rojo of overall winner all but sewn up, the stage win and the points competition were all there was to play for.

Trek-Segafredo were determined to play for keeps, however. The American team were in control for most of the stage. Though they allowed a group of four riders to spend a couple of hours in the sun, Carlijn Achtereekte (Jumbo Visma), Sara Poidevin (EF Education-Tibco SVB), Sandra Alonso (Ceratizit-WNT) and Nina Buijsman (Human Powered Health) were never going to be allowed much room for maneuvre. A lid was placed firmly on the gap when it reached one minute and held steady for the next 60km.

The four intermediate sprints only offered bonus seconds - of little interest or use to the breakaway riders, all of whom were a long way down in the general classification.

Between kilometres 60 and 80 the time between groups began to fall rapidly, as Shirin Van Anrooij and Amalie Dideriksen shared the work to ensure the bunch sprint outcome for their Trek-Segafredo team-mate. Movistar and SD Worx also spent short spells on the front.

With 17km remaining the bunch was bearing down on the leaders on the straights, though were keen not to invite any late opportunist attacks by sweeping them up too soon. Alonso and Buijsman lit their last matches at 10km to go, before they were absorbed by the peloton, and last preparations were made for the fast flat finish.

In the closing kilometres BikeExchange-Jayco, FDJ and Valcar Travel & Service were all very visible at the head of the race, deterring any more moves.

Under the flamme rouge and it was Movistar on the front, but Trek-Segafredo in control. Elisa Longo-Borghini launched herself down the final straight, ultimately serving less as a lead-out and more as a foil for Elisa Balsamo. While the other riders were forced to chase ELB, Balsamo had a clear run down the right hand side of the road, and came through to take a convincing victory by several bike lengths.

“I’m extremely happy," said Balsamo.

"This was my last race with the [world champion's] jersey and so there is not a better way to end such a wonderful season for me. My team-mates did a great job today. We really were the strongest team and chased all day. I have to say thank you to everyone in the team.”

Van Vleuten had an unassailable lead heading into the final stage and having navigated that stage without incident or accident, finished 1’44” ahead of Longo-Borghini in second, with Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx) at 2’18” in third.

Silvia Persico (Valcar Travel & Service) finished 11th on the stage, four places ahead of Elisa Longo-Borghini, enough to earn the younger rider five sprint points and take the jersey outright.

1. Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) 2'21'37

2. Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) ''

3. Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ) ''

4. Megan Jastrab (Team DSM) ''

5. Sofia Bertizzolo (UAE Team ADQ) ''