Women’s peloton verbally abused during the Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile
Italian rider Elisa Longo Borghini overheard the unsavoury comments from the tifosi.

Christine Majerus on stage two of the Women's Tour (Andy Jones)

If you ever needed proof of the obstacles that women’s cycling faces, a tweet from Wiggle-Honda’s Elisa Longo Borghini this afternoon will show as much.
The Italian rider, who won this year’s Tour of Flanders following an impressive solo break, posted on the social networking site that she overheard native spectators at today’s stage of the Giro d'Italia Internazionale Femminile near Genoa saying some rather uncomplimentary things about the women’s peloton.
Longo Borghini finished fifth in Loano, 2:41 behind solo stage winner Lucinda Brand (Rabo-Liv). She sits just 31 seconds behind race leader Megan Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans) going into the last two stages this weekend.
This sadly isn't the first case of unsavoury language in the air at bike races this week: the UCI confirmed today that CCC Sprandi Pokowice rider Branislau Samoilau was fined a month's wages after reportedly aiming a racial slur at MTN-Qhubeka's Eritrean rider Natnael Berhane.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Michelle Arthurs-Brennan the Editor of Cycling Weekly website. An NCTJ qualified traditional journalist by trade, Michelle began her career working for local newspapers. She's worked within the cycling industry since 2012, and joined the Cycling Weekly team in 2017, having previously been Editor at Total Women's Cycling. Prior to welcoming her first daughter in 2022, Michelle raced on the road, track, and in time trials, and still rides as much as she can - albeit a fair proportion indoors, for now.
Michelle is on maternity leave from April 2025 until spring 2026.
-
'It took everything' - Puck Pieterse outclimbs Demi Vollering to win La Flèche Wallonne
Dutch 22-year-old shows Classics pedigree with first one-day victory
By Tom Davidson
-
Tadej Pogačar flies to dominant victory at La Flèche Wallonne
Slovenian takes second win at Belgian classic ahead of Kévin Vauquelin and Tom Pidcock
By Tom Thewlis
-
Giro Rosa Gavia stage re-routed following landslide
Organisers have opted to finish the stage at the Lago di Cancano
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan
-
Marta Bastianelli bags Italian victory while it’s as you were for the Giro Rosa GC
With just one day to go, Anna van der Breggen sits atop of the GC and looks unlikely to budge
By Owen Rogers
-
Lucinda Brand storms to solo Giro Rosa stage eight win despite late crash
The Dutch rider broke away from the peloton alone to take a solo win as GC contenders remain at the same time
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan
-
Lotta Lepistö wins Giro Rosa stage six whilst Barnes' break is swept up
The flat stage ended in a sprint finish, Barnes and breakaway companions absorbed by the peloton with 13km to go
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan
-
Megan Guarnier wins the 2016 Giro Rosa
American champion Megan Guarnier wins the Giro d’Italia Femminile, extending Boels-Dolmans’ domination of the WorldTour
By Owen Rogers
-
Young Brit Jessie Walker making an impression in Italy’s Giro Rosa
New girl in the pro peloton, Britain’s Jessie Walker makes a big hit in the heat of Italy
By Owen Rogers
-
Emma Pooley takes final Giro Rosa stage as Marianne Vos wins overall
Britain’s Emma Pooley wins her third stage and the mountains classification
By Owen Rogers
-
Emma Pooley takes second stage win at the Giro Rosa
Emma Pooley all but secures mountain classification; Marianne Vos continues to lead overall
By Owen Rogers