Elisa Balsamo took the lead in the Women's World Tour with a sprint victory at Trofeo Alfredo Binda on Sunday afternoon.

The world champion, in her first season with Trek-Segafredo, opened her campaign with an opening stage win in Setmana Ciclista Valenciana and finished fourth in Omloop Het Niusbrod.

Last weekend, she finished second in the second round of the Women's World Tour (WWT), the Ronde van Drenthe, and on Sunday in Cittiglio she took her fourth career win in women's cycling's premier race.

"This has been the best start to a season in my career," Balsamo said.

"The rainbow jersey gives me confidence, and it also inspires the people who cheer me on and take pictures of me.

"The change in team has given me more opportunities to race alongside great riders. It's a great group of strong riders, all trying to help each other to win for the team.

"I am on a team that has the ability to lead and manage a race. For a rider like me, this is great. Instead of waiting to see what other riders do, we create our own opportunities."

"I think it's a great thing to be a part of a team that has the ability to lead and manage the race.

After three rounds of the Women's World Tour, Balsamo currently sits at 720 points in the standings. She is 60 points ahead of Lotte Kopecky (SD Walks), who won at Strade Bianche and wore the purple jersey on the podium.

Balsamo, who described his first WWT win in Italy as "a special emotion," praised his team's work during the race. Elisa Longo Borghini fended off an attack on the Orino climb 26 km from the line, while European champion Ellen van Dijk and impressive Neo Pro rider Shirin van Anlooy worked to get back in motion late in the final.

"We didn't have a set strategy before the race. Elisa was free to attack and choose as she did last year. And if Elisa's attempts didn't work, the second option was a sprint finish."

"The team was perfect from the first kilometer to the last. We did a great job. I did a perfect sprint at the end and the whole team was with me. The whole team stayed with me.

"I really have to thank my teammates. At one point in the race we all decided to go for the sprint. Elisa, Ellen, and Shirin were perfect. To have such a great group of riders gave me a lot of confidence at this moment.

"Of course, I have to mention the invisible but amazing work of Audrey Cordon-Lagotte and Leah Thomas early in the race. They were able to put out the energy in the final sprint not only because of the conditions, but also because of their teammates who didn't have to use any energy during the race.

Balsamo added that to tactically end the 129.4 km hilly race, he started further back on the final corner before the finish straight and played the sprint finish while SD Walks and Canyon-SRAM led the pack.

The 24-year-old jumped to the outside of Chantal van den Broeck-Braak (SD Worx) with less than 100 meters to go and also passed Sofia Bertizzolo (UAE Team ADQ), who was the first to hit the finish line and celebrate her victory enthusiastically.

"I feel good, morale is high. I knew that if I could get through the final climb, I had a good chance in the sprint. The leadout was perfect and tactically we had a great sprint.

"I lost a little bit on the last corner, but it was my decision to start that far behind. The finish was uphill and fast, but the road was uphill at the end, so the longer I waited to start sprinting, the more power I could put on the surface. I think it was the right choice."