YOUR CURIOSITY, MY ANSWER!

A few days ago I thought of putting a question box on Instagram where you could write me your questions and curiosities, I was pleasantly surprised by how many people decided to participate by asking very interesting questions! Unfortunately I couldn’t answer them all, but I selected ten questions and I hope I managed to satisfy some of your curiosities!

TRACK: WILL YOU CONTINUE TO DO IT OR WILL YOU HAVE SEASONS COMPLETELY DEDICATED TO THE ROAD?

For this year I have decided to devote myself particularly to the road, although sometimes I like it and I think it is useful to go and train on the track. However, the track remains a long-term goal with the Los Angeles Olympic Games in mind, so I will soon start taking part in some competitions again to start accumulating the points needed for participation in the World Cups and World Championships. However, next spring will also be mainly dedicated to the road to try and win some races that I have always dreamed of!

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF DEMI VOLLERING’S STATEMENTS ON THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF FEMALE ATHLETES?

I agree with her when she says that health comes first: I’m a professional athlete now but one day I won’t be, I have a whole life ahead of me and I certainly don’t want to compromise my future. I personally believe that it is essential to find that balance, which is difficult to achieve and subtle, that allows us both to perform at our best and to be healthy, I’m talking about the physical as well as the mental. The difficult thing is that everyone is different and there are no objective rules for finding this balance, which is why I believe it is important to surround ourselves with experts who can help us: trainers, dieticians, psychologists… furthermore, given that we are all different, I believe that judging others from the outside and without knowing the individual situation specifically is rather reckless. From a physical point of view, I think that for athletes like me: fast/classic is a little easier than for climbers because it’s on the climbs that the weight makes the difference, while in a sprint an extra chilo doesn’t have that much of an impact. From a mental point of view I prefer to work in tranquillity, when I’m calm good results usually come, the pressure before the race is an extra push if it is not excessive, otherwise it risks compromising my performance.

SATISFIED WITH THE SEASON SO FAR?

I’m satisfied with the first part of the season: there have been four victories and many placings in prestigious races that have allowed me to be, at the moment, fifth in the world ranking; moreover, also in terms of performance, I’m happy with my improvements to try to become an increasingly complete and competitive athlete! This middle part of the season was, on the other hand, more difficult and painful, with not very positive feelings about the Italian Championships and the Tour de France, but I’m very motivated for all the races that will take place before the end of the year.

YOUR BIGGEST GOAL?

It is difficult to choose just one…but the races I dream of winning are: San Remo, Ronde Van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix

HOW MUCH RESPONSIBILITY DO YOU FEEL TO BE AN EXAMPLE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE?

Actually I am very honoured to be able to be an example for some young cyclists, I think for all professional athletes it is very nice to know that girls and boys are watching us dreaming of becoming like us! It’s definitely a big responsibility, but all my behaviour, both in and out of the race, and my attitude simply reflect my personality and I never try to “do or say” something just because it might get attention or others might like it. I try to be fair in the competition, I thank my teammates every time for their work, I rarely make excuses when I don’t perform, if I make a mistake I always try to apologise because it’s behaviour that makes me feel good about myself first of all and if I’m satisfied with myself I hope I can be a good example for the younger ones.

WHAT IS THE MOST ENJOYABLE THING ABOUT BEING A PROFESSIONAL CYCLIST?

The feeling you get when you cross a finish line with your arms raised: it cannot be described in words!

YOUR FAVOURITE BREAKFAST ON A GRAND TOUR?

My favourite breakfast during a stage race is: vegetable milk with muesli cereal and corn flakes, toast with cottage cheese and jam (I really like lemon and peach jam) or with almond cream, agave and banana slices.

IS IT DIFFICULT TO BE AWAY FROM HOME SO OFTEN? HOW DO YOU COPE? HOW MUCH TIME CAN YOU DEDICATE TO THE FAMILY? AND CAN YOU COMPLETELY DISCONNECT AT THAT TIME?

HOW MUCH DO THOSE FIVE STRIPES YOU WEAR ON YOUR SLEEVE WEIGH – POSITIVELY AND NEGATIVELY?

For me, wearing the rainbow jersey was a fantastic experience: I enjoyed every day, both in training and in the race, because I knew it was something special and unique. The stripes that I still wear on my sleeves are also a source of great pride and always an incentive to give my best!

FAVOURITE ROUTE/RUN/WORKOUT?

My favourite training route is the tour around Lake Iseo: about 60 km flat with beautiful views the whole time! While my favourite training is sprints starting at different speeds and using different gears.

Since there have been so many of you, I thought this could become a regular feature among us, what do you think? So this is the first episode of the column entitled: IF YOU ARE CURIOUS, I WILL ANSWER YOU! If you do not have an Instagram profile and would like to ask me a question, you can write it in the comments below this article and you will receive an answer in the next episode of the column!

In the meantime, keep following me!