Last year we left her rejoicing on the legendary finish line of the Mur d'HuyAfter winning the Amstel Gold Race, Marta Cavalli (top photo: @aymeric.lassak) continued her golden week at the Flèche Wallonne. It was a great coup. A double that effectively launched the standard-bearer of the Fdj-Suez in another dimension.
We reach it on a “Belgian” day, as he tells us, between post-Amstel and pre-Freccia. This year, as was known, things are not the same as last season. Let us know he had said at the Binda TrophyEverything is less brilliant, from the mood, which is not bad at all, to the condition.
Marta, how are you?
Good enough. Athletically I'm not at my best yet. Not having run for most of the spring is taking its toll, and I'm paying the price. However, I continue to see improvements, which have been evident since this winter. It just takes a few more weeks of patience.
Can you quantify in percentage terms how close you are to being last year's Cavalli?
I don't know that. It's difficult to judge or put it all on a numerical scale. Only a year has passed since those days, but In the meantime, many things have happened and many races have passed.And a lot has changed. For example, last Sunday the Amstel was 20 kilometers longer than in 2022, and that's quite different for the race. We, my staff, my coach, and my team, We try to analyze everything, to take the little ideas that come our way... To try to understand where we can improve. I'm in no rush, the team isn't in a rush, and the fans are perhaps a little!
You said you were struggling this spring. You're clearly feeling the lack of pace that your colleagues are experiencing. Is this the context in which your participation in last week's Brabant Arrow should be interpreted?
Exactly, the idea was to unblock yourself a bit, to find some rhythm, to make those efforts that you can't make in training. So It was helpful in getting me used to clenching my teeth again. and find myself in a race.
How do you get to these Ardennes events? What can we expect?
To grow step by step. I know I'm not up to it, and that's why I don't want to set the bar too high and then fail to achieve my goal. You have to be rational. Last year I was flying, now I'm not. An athlete's career is full of ups and downs. We're at a low point right now.
But what turns upwards…
Yes, true, but in terms of results we are low. Especially since I was used to having explosive springs. But we have a lot of races ahead of us and I have a great program to do.
So what is missing from your condition to take flight?
Well, that's what we're thinking about. I don't think there is a precise answer, but a combination of factors. For example, I see that I have a slower recovery.
So will we see you available to the team tomorrow and Sunday?
I think so. The goal is to run as much as possible and therefore also be useful to the team. It must also be said that... I also had carte blanche to try to hold on to make the right effort.
Marta, you mentioned a great program…
In May I will do the Vuelta, then the Basque Country. Then I will evaluate with the staff whether to train at home or go to altitude, in view of the Tour de France Women's cycling, of the Italian that I will do this year both in the time trial and on the road. I also want to be useful to the cause of the World Cup and try to do well at the end of the season, also thinking about the European Championship. which takes place here in Belgium, in the Drenthe area. Maybe I'll get there with some small stage races. We'll see.
Let's end with a fond memory from last year. How did you feel on the Mure d'Huy while you were tearing them all down?
One year later, the memory that most impressed me is me turning around and that meter and a half between me and Van Veluten. "It's not true," I thought, "it's a dream." But it was all true. And this also helps me find motivation and maybe one day relive those moments.
