Longo Borghini kicks off season at Omloop - Women's News Shorts

Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle High 5) has selected a tough opening race for the 2018 season and says she will likely play a support role in Saturday's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

The Italian champion has her sights set further down the road with the Ardennes Classics - Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège - her main targets for the early season.

"The main goal is that one, and I will try to be at my best for the middle of April," Longo Borghini said in a team press release. "I'm trying to find my good legs here.

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"My shape is not yet super so I'm using this race as training. I hope the team can be good because we have a strong one. I don't think I would like to be the leader on Saturday because for sure I'm not in the shape for winning this race. I hope to be useful for my team, rather than win the race myself."

It will be Longo Borghini's first outing of the year in her Italian champion's jersey, and she's sure to stand out

"I think my tricolore is beautiful this year," she smiled. "Champion System made a good thing, and I will be proud to wear it until June. I will try to show it as much as I can in the races."

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