There are 42 Italian boys and girls who are competing in Cottbus this afternoon for the European Junior and U23 Track Championships. A strong team both in terms of quantity and quality which openly aims to challenge Great Britain for the top spot in the medal table., after having granted it to Her Majesty's cyclists last year in Anadia.
In the analysis of the Italian team, where there are 11 athletes who won gold last year in Portugal, the fact that stands out is that the junior women's team includes all the best in the category regardless of the discipline, therefore also considering the road, from the national champion Maria Acuti onwards. Not a random choice, according to the Azzurri manager Diego Bragato present in Cottbus together with Marco Villa, owner of the Elite training but always attentive to everything that happens along the supply chain.
«These are girls we have been working with since last year – Bragato begins directly from the German velodrome – we have always collaborated a lot with the road and with Marco Velo, the project is unique and shared, so it is normal that in their growth phase they also face this important stage".
It's not often that you get all the top riders in the category into top form. How did you manage to work with them during these weeks, when the road schedule was quite intense?
We actually started in March with weekly one-day gatherings, from which we developed a very large group. Gradually, we narrowed the numbers. I must underline that the girls and their teams believed in the project., with Marco Villa the way we work, the path we are taking is already clear.
But has there ever been a conflict in terms of timing or preparatory work between the two disciplines?
No, because the work we did with the junior and U23 girls was always also in function of the road, so supporting the work they were doing with their teams, and this created mutual trust and made sure that at the important moments of the track season, like now for the European Championships and then for the World Championships, the girls responded present and the teams were collaborative.
Does this mean they are competitive in all specialties?
We hope so. Considering that in the junior arena you never know what other nations have, because it's kind of the gateway to the international level, so Sometimes you think you have good times, but maybe some nation surprises you, so there's always a question mark as the races approach. We're confident we have a good group and can perform well in both the team disciplines and the time trials. So we're confident and we're continuing to grow.
How do girls approach this seasonal turning point?
We made it clear to them right away that the result of this European Championship will not define the quality of the boys. We know our juniors are very strong, and we'll continue to work on them regardless of how this tournament goes. That doesn't mean we don't expect much from them in terms of performance and commitment; the result will be consistent.
What did you find when you arrived in Cottbus in terms of climate and track speed?
When we arrived we found it cold and rainy… A bit of cool air was nice, but it's really cold, even though the forecast says the weather should improve.Yesterday we trained in the velodrome which is semi-covered, but inside the track it was raining in the central hole, while in the covered ring you could turn.
Is it a fast track?
For an outdoor track it's a good one, it's a nice flowing surface, but made of concrete and with a length of 333 metres, very different from the 250 metres of wood we are used to indoors. These are certainly different times, but for the junior level or even the Under 23s it's a good test.
For the junior quartet, who will you bet on?
The group we have chosen includes Elisa Bianchi, Matilde Rossignoli, Maria Acuti, Azzurra Ballan and Linda Rapporti (qualified for tomorrow's final against Belgium, ed.).
What do you know about other nations, which are the most competitive?
In the meantime, I hope we have the chance to get our revenge on Great Britain, who narrowly beat us last year. In training I saw the German hosts very much on point, and there are many of them, so they will surely have some good numbers to show on a track that they know very well.In my opinion, the Germans are the reference nation in this event, precisely because outdoors, on a track like this, knowing the track well is important and they are the favourites for this reason.
Moving on to the U23s, how did you find the Venturelli in the group, both physically and psychologically, after everything he's been through?
With us, Federica feels like part of the family. She's always happy, having fun, and relaxing, whether she's in Montichiari with the under-23s or the elites, or competing. Mentally, she gives 100 percent when it comes to working. I see her well, there is a nice group around her, Girls who are growing and who I see are also very motivated. Among other things, it was her request to be considered to come. We spoke with the team, we combined the programs, and she joined the delegation directly from Belgium, where she had raced on Sunday, finishing tenth.
LAST HOUR: On the first day of competitions Venturelli took gold by winning the final of the U23 individual pursuit in 4'43"174 while among the juniors Agata Campana she won the scratch.
