ELISA BALSAMOMY DREAM SPRING!!

On the flight back from the second Nations’ Cup on the track held in Canada I had the opportunity to think back to my spring. If I look back I’m still incredulous: I never believed I could achieve so many successes and good placings.

Win at the first stage of Settimana Valenciana

I feel I have taken a step forward compared to last year: together with my trainer I decided to focus more on the road, unlike last year during which I had given priority to the track in anticipation of the Olympic Games, I started working with a sports psychologist to take care of the mental aspect that, in my opinion, it’s fundamental for an athlete and I have continued my nutritional path with great attention and constancy. After winning the first race of the season at the Setmana Valenciana I had the confirmation that I had worked well during the winter but, at the same time, I felt the pressure rise and the desire to win a spring classic was getting stronger.

In the first races of the North I got some good placements, then THREE WORLD TOUR VICTORIES in eight days: Trofeo Binda, De Panne and Gent-Wevelgem. I have never felt so good on the bike as during those days and even with the new team (the Trek-Segafredo) a perfect feeling was established, undoubtedly without my teammates these successes would never have arrived!

If you want to relive the victory at the Binda Trophy in Cittiglio you can read / reread my post here on the blog at this link:

MY WIN AT TROFEO BINDA FROM YOUR QUESTIONS!

The victory at Brugge-De Panne, instead, was completely unexpected because in the last kilometers I was helping my teammate Chloe Hosking who had to do the sprint that day, but a fall just over a kilometer from the finish line put her out of the game so from the radio they told me that I had to do the sprint. I tried to keep the first positions and I launched the sprint 200m from the finish managing to pass the line with raised arms: a beautiful surprise!

The most beautiful victory was the one at Gent-Wevelgem: one of my favorite races on the whole calendar! My sprint was the culmination of an exceptional teamwork, in fact from the first to the last kilometer my teammates kept me covered and closed on every attack putting me in the best possible conditions. Winning one of your favorite races in a rainbow jersey is an indescribable emotion!

The first block of this season ended with the first round of track’s Nations’ Cup in Glasgow, also on that occasion the satisfactions were not lacking with a bronze medal in the team pursuit and a silver in the madison paired with Vittoria Guazzini. Returning to compete on the track was a lot of fun and I had confirmation that the two disciplines, road and track, are complements and compatible with each other!

After Glasgow I rested and relaxed for a week, after such an intense block of races it was right to take a break without the bike to allow the body and mind to recover. After this short break I restarted training and participated in the second Nations’ Cup race on the track in Canada, a good opportunity to return to racing and put some race pace in my legs. I did not expect great results since my condition was not yet the best but I was pleasantly surprised because three golds arrived: in the team pursuit, in the omnium and in the madison paired with Chiara Consonni! I am very satisfied with these three victories especially because I understood that when your legs hurt you have to resist mentally and I am trying to improve further on this aspect: go beyond your limits without being afraid!