Just 10 (!) days after concussion, Longo Borghini again a strong contender for the Ardennes: "I woke up in the hospital"

Longo Borghini returned to competition on Friday in the Brabantse Pijl, a race she also won last year. Just twelve days ago, she was lying on the Flemish asphalt. "The crash in Flanders was obviously not planned. I suffered a minor concussion and had to take it easy for a few days, but thanks to the team, I recovered fairly quickly. Health is, of course, the most important thing, and results come later." And that's exactly how it went, literally.

The 33-year-old Italian can remember little of what happened in the Tour of Flanders. "Unfortunately, I only remember the last few moments before it happened, and then I regained consciousness in the hospital. When I was clear-headed again, I didn't really know what to think. I felt good and wanted to score in the Tour of Flanders, so I was confused in the hospital. When I got home, I didn't feel so good."

"Fortunately, I was feeling better soon after, so I asked if I could ride the Brabantse Pijl to test my legs and rule out further symptoms. I felt good, so I'm really happy with this victory," said the cheerful Italian. "I think I knew five days ago that I would be competing. That's when we did the final tests, and they went well."

So, on Friday in Overijse, she crossed the finish line with her hands in the air for the second year in a row after an attack on the Moskesstraat. Last year, she celebrated her victory by saying she wanted to use that climb because of the similarity in name to her husband Jacopo Mosca (from Lidl-Trek). "It's apparently a climb that suits me; I think it brings me luck," she laughed. "I was already feeling really good. We had an aggressive race in mind and wanted to go for it. The plan was to attack there. I was a bit boxed in at first, but I managed to find the gap."

What does this victory mean for the Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège? "I don't really look at the numbers; winning here twice is nice. It's a beautiful race, and I love the combination of the cobblestones and the hills. It's a nice transition from the cobbled classics to the Ardennes."

"The Brabantse Pijl is the Brabantse Pijl, and the upcoming races will feature different opponents on a different course," she says, referring to Demi Vollering and Lotte Kopecky, among others. "I'm staying humble, and as UAE Team ADQ, we just want to get the most out of it. We'll see what the outcome is. I love the Amstel Gold Race, but Liège is really special to me," concludes Longo Borghini.