The Dutch Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team Women) has revalidated her title as champion of the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta and has certified a historic triplet in 2022, all in a fifth and final stage, played on a circuit in Madrid over 96 kilometers, in which the Italian Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) has prevailed.
Van Vleuten, 39, thus takes her second consecutive general classification in Madrid and closes a spectacular year in which she was also proclaimed champion of the Giro Donne and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. The Italian Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) and the Dutch Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx) completed the final podium in Plaza de Cibeles.
For her part, Balsamo, current world champion, achieved the last stage victory on a day in which she crossed the finish line ahead of the Belgian Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx) and the Italian Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ).
Source: Europa Press
