VN ticker: Longo Borghini out, Vuelta teams in, electric cars enter peloton

Here's what's making headlines on Friday, March 3.

Published Mar 3, 2023 VeloNews.com

Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty Images

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Elisa Longo Borghini to miss Strade Bianche Donne

Elisa Longo Borghini, one of the favorite’s for Saturday’s Strade Bianche Donne, is not starting.

Trek-Segafredo officials confirmed the Italian star is sidelined with a fever, and will miss the race. A winner in 2017, she finished on the podium on three other occasions.

The team arrives in Siena with a strong team nonetheless, and officials confirmed it will race with Amanda Spratt, Elisa Balsamo, Brodie Chapman, Tayler Wiles, and Elynor Backstedt.

Electric cars enter the peloton

The Dutch Continental team BEAT Cycling will be using four electric cars in its fleet of vehicles this season. (Photo: BEAT Cycling)

Electric cars are entering the pro peloton. Dutch Continental team BEAT Cycling confirmed it will use electric cars throughout the upcoming racing season.

The team will use four BYD ATTO 3 cars will bring bikes and other materials to races and provide support during the races, officials said. The cars will be used for the first time Saturday at the 63rdSalverda Ster van Zwolle.

Officials said they’ve done sufficient testing to assure that the vehicles will be practical for use both in moving between races as well as during the events.

Teams named for La Vuelta Femenina

The organizers of La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es revealed the 24 teams that will take part in the 1st edition of the women’s race set for May 1-7.
Twelve UCI Women’s World Teams will take their place at the starting line: CANYON//SRAM RACING (GER), EF EDUCATION – TIBCO – SVB (USA), FDJ-SUEZ (FRA), ISRAEL PREMIER TECH ROLAND (SUI), LIV RACING TEQFIND (NED), MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN (ESP), TEAM DSM (NED), TEAM JAYCO ALULA (AUS), TEAM JUMBO-VISMA (NED), TEAM SD WORX (NED), TREK – SEGAFREDO (USA), UAE TEAM ADQ (UAD)

Also, 12 UCI Women’s Continental Teams will participate in the race: BEPINK (ITA), BIZKAIA-DURANGO (ESP), CANTABRIA DEPORTE – RIO MIERA WOMEN`S CYCLING TEAM (ESP), ENEICAT-CMTEAM-SEGUROS DEPORTIVOS (ESP), FARTO-BTC WOMEN’S CYCLING TEAM (ESP), LABORAL KUTXA – FUNDACION EUSKADI (ESP), MASSI TACTIC WOMEN’S TEAM (ESP), SOLTEC TEAM (ESP), SOPELA WOMEN’S TEAM (ESP), ST MICHEL – MAVIC – AUBER93 (FRA), TEAM COOP-HITEC PRODUCTS (NOR), ZAAF CYCLING TEAM (ESP)