Balsamo (unconsciously) gives Vos big compliment after Valencia victory: "Remains the best in these kinds of situations"

Elisa Balsamo has paid Marianne Vos a great compliment after her stage victory in the first stage of the Tour of Valencia. The Italian Lidl-Trek rider based her sprint finale on the Dutch Visma | Lease a Bike cyclist, and it led to success.

Through her team's official channels, Balsamo expressed that she owes her victory in her first race of 2024 to other people. "I want to share the credit, the joy and the compliments for this victory with the whole team. Without their commitment and trust, I would never have been able to cross the finish with my hands raised in the air today. It was a real team effort, it was a real team win: thank you so much!"

Balsamo was counting on Vos

She also gives her compliments to Vos, although she did so unconsciously. "It was a super hectic finale, and the peloton believed in a sprint to the finish. It became a battle among all the good sprinters, because there were no real lead-outs left due to all that chasing. I decided to take the wheel of Vos, because she remains the best in these kinds of situations. I was afraid of getting boxed in in the crowd, but knew I had to follow her. My instinct rewarded me."

Balsamo outpaced Vos in a direct confrontation, which resulted in the Italian now also becoming the leader in Valencia. "It's a wonderful feeling to start like this. Winning in my first race gives a significant boost of confidence. For me, it's also important how the victory came about, confirming the work we've done."