On Saturday 25 September and Sunday 26 September, the cycling world watched the best road riders competing in Flanders, Belgium, at the UCI Road World Championships to determine the coveted rainbow jersey. The circuit covers 15.77 km from the Leuven City Loop, which has been used four times, to the Flanders Loop, where the long-awaited road race for men and women takes place.
After several European titles in the various categories, a title of world champion in the Juniores road race and many important results, for Balsamo has arrived the highest goal to which any cyclist can aspire.
In an elite women's race over 15.77 km, Italy's Elisa Balsamo (23) beat Marianne Vos to win her first ever world championship. The victory made up for Balsamo's bad luck at the Olympics, where a fall clouded her medal hopes.
“it is the dream of every cyclist to wear this Jersey, I’ve worked so hard for this. I knew it wasn’t easy, but we made it.”
It is with shiny and dreamy eyes that Elisa Balsamo of Valcar Travel and Service tells us how she happened to dream a few times of wearing the rainbow colors of a world champion.
“It is something amazing, I’ve dreamt it few nights, and now it is real….”
It is known that in cycling, as well as in life, dreams don't come by themselves, but you have to chase them. In Elisa's case, preparation and being able to count on the team were the fundamental ingredients for what she did.
2021 has been a busy season, with many events close together due to Covid and the long-awaited Tokyo 2020 Olympics. With so many trials Elisa, her team and coaches wanted to focus only on what mattered: winning on the world stage.
Between May and July the young 23 took a break from competition, focusing only on training for the track and the World Cup.
The Olympics left Elisa and the nation with even greater motivation for high level results, not reaching the medal table like her male counterpart, but achieving a beautiful Italian team record.
A champion is never alone, and Elisa Balsamo knows well that the cycling is a sport of team, despite the appearances.
“The team has been fantastic, they helped me and everything went for the best.”
The team has been able to exploit a synergy built over time that has proved to be a winner, overcoming the other nations that have revealed some internal tensions and certain individualisms.
But how do you stay motivated when at 23 years old you've already won almost everything?
“My road is still long, I know that winning a world championship is the most beautiful goal, but I always said that my dream was to win one of the great classics, so I will continue to work hard for that.”
A promise kept given the good test made at Paris Roubaix and the victory at a stage of the Tour of Britain.
To celebrate the young champion and say goodbye to her as she will be changing teams for the next season, Prologo has created a customised ribbon and saddle with the world iris, to remind her always of the excellent work she has done.
The saddle is a Dimension NDR in Nack carbon. It represents the evolution of one of the saddles most loved by professional men and women, Dimension 143, being 3mm more padded and with a different density, for those who prefer more cushioning, both on road cycling and MTB thanks to its versatility.
It's a short 245x143mm saddle that despite its cushioning capacity weighs only 165 gr in the carbon version. It is also available with Tirox steel rail, for an excellent weight-comfort ratio, or in chrome steel for maximum resistance.
The PAS channel allows you to better relieve pressure, eliminating tingling, discomfort and pain due to soft tissue compression.
Another world champion has also chosen Dimension NDR: Pauline Ferrand Prevot. Discover here her saddle with special graphics.
