Martha Cavalli it's already in full season. It has a crazy charge. Yesterday, for example, she'd had a pretty busy day, and between postponed training sessions and various commitments, she was still on the cycle mill at 21 p.m. And this morning, she was already ready to go out early. The menu called for four hours.
The standard bearer of the FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope He's finished his first season in the WorldTour. And while he didn't exactly raise his arms in the air (at least individually, given that he won the European Championship in the team relay), he had a truly stellar year.
She has always been involved in the races, especially the most important ones, and even at the World Championships in Leuven she did not fail to give her support to the Italian cause. For her 21 top tens, including the Olympics.
Marta, your first WorldTour season was a complete bust. What's your take on it?
I consider myself absolutely satisfied. A season beyond my expectations. I raced at a level that perhaps not even the team expected, and seeing that they were happy too was perhaps the greatest satisfaction. I've been very consistent and competitive since February at Roubaix. This means I've built up a solid foundation for next season, and it also makes up for the risk I took in racing abroad and the many sacrifices I made.
How do you organize your team? Do you go to the office often?
I actually go there twice a year and for short periods. Then I do everything from home and I am followed remotelyFor example, we went after Roubaix for logistical and administrative reasons, so to speak. And I came back a few days ago to take stock of the situation. On this occasion, I spoke with the coach.
And what work program came out of it?
We've considered the first half of the season. We'll proceed step by step. And we will focus on races that are suitable for me in this first part, such as the Strade Bianche and the Tour of Flanders. These are the initial goals. But above all, I want to start off strong. To be ready for the start of the year, and for that, I'm already pushing hard.
And you can hear it, even from the decisive and brilliant tone of your voice…
Starting well is important. If you do well, it's easier to maintain that condition.
You mentioned Flanders and Strade Bianche, but this year there's both the Giro and the Tour, and the WorldTour Marta has changed a lot. It almost seems more suited to these events than one-day races...
We saw the presentation of the Tour and we have an idea of the stages. Now we wait to know the Line of Business, so that we can understand how and which one to tackle, along the lines of what men do. They evaluate the three Grand Tour routes and then choose the one best suited to their characteristics.
Indeed (another great step forward for women)…
E I don't rule out a Giro-Tour double, but with different objectives.
This past season, Marta, we've witnessed a physical transformation in you: you've lost weight. This has limited your sprinting a bit (your old weapon), but it's definitely helped you climb hills. Will this transformation continue?
It's a metamorphosis that happened naturally with the increase in training volume. Spending more time on the bike dries out the body. It's true, I've lost some of my sprint power, and we're trying to regain it. That's why I'm working harder in the gym and on my strength. The goal is to maintain the good climbing performance I've achieved and rediscover my old momentum, to have more explosiveness.
It would be great, of course…
Often, you make the difference on the climbs, but then it's not enough to win. Maybe you'll start with three riders, but then someone comes back who isn't as strong on the uphill road but is fast. Very often, small groups arrive at the end, and someone beats you in the sprint.
Speaking of climbing: who is the strongest?
Doubtless Annemiek Van Vleuten, not as a pure climber, but because she is capable of expressing very high strength and resistance. It sets a frantic pace for 3-5 minutes and in the end you are forced to give up due to asphyxiation.
Are you still far from being at the top level?
We are working to reduce this gap. If I think about Italian women, I try to get as close as possible to Elisa (Longo Borghini, (Editor's note) for the type of attacks he makes and the pace he keeps. And then always keep an eye out for some surprises.
