Elena Cecchini was one of the Italian protagonists at the Paris Olympics. Cecchini was part of the female quartet engaged in the online test. With her, we remember, Elisa Balsamo, Elisa Longo Borghini and Silvia Persico. The race didn't go particularly well. The final verdict was: Longo Borghini finished ninth, Elena herself twenty-fifth, and Balsamo and Persico finished in over fiftieth place.
Elena had a specific role, that of being the road captain or director in the race, to put it in Italian. With a cool head, let's look back at his Olympics from a technical-tactical point of view. Cecchini has been a cornerstone of the national team for years, one of those athletes you always know you can count on. And it's no coincidence that the coach Paul Sangalli decided to deploy it in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.
Elena, let's start with your Olympics: what can you tell us?
It was a wonderful experience. I also wanted to do something on social media to share it. I was talking about it with Elia (Viviani, her husband, ed.), but I'm still considering it. It all started at Verona airport, when we came down from Val di Fassa, where we were on retreat with other guys, and went to catch the flight to Paris. Already there, I started thinking about the months and years of preparation to get to that point. I thought that, ultimately, we cyclists are lucky; our race is one of the longest, while other athletes gamble everything in 10-15 seconds. It's a combination of enormous emotions and considerations...
Let's talk a little about your race…
I received a message from Elia before the start that moved me. For me, it was my second Olympic experience after Rio, and I wanted to live it intensely. I had very high expectations. I wanted to have a good race, but as a team we weren't satisfied. At least, compared to Tokyo, it was a real race, and the strongest riders all stayed ahead.
Any complaints?
One and it comes from a series of things put together. I also talked about it with Paul Sangalli. When we entered the circuit and there was a fall. On the Montmartre climb, a scramble broke out and I said to myself, "I'll take a strong but steady pace." And yet, when I finished pushing, there was no one behind me at the top. But that wasn't a pace meant to be alone. And in fact, Elisa then said to me, "Elena, I tried to tell you there'd been a fall." But I couldn't hear it at all. In my life, I'd never seen so many people on the side of the road, so much chaos, and it wasn't easy to communicate.
The others, however, including Longo, had escaped…
If I had known, I would have really gone all out so that maybe I could have helped Elisa. But I couldn't even pull for Kopecky e Vollering who were behind. In the end, given how tough the race was, nothing would have changed. But you know, if you're up there with two of you. At least being there... That's my only complaint.
What's more, you were without radios...
And in fact it only happens twice a year that we run without radios and I didn't hear anything at all.: neither Elisa trying to warn me, nor the fall. This is also why we weren't very happy in the hours following the race. We wanted better. Personally, I had had a very calm approach. Already in May I knew I was part of a group of 5-6 girls and not 10-12 fighting for 4 places. And since I found out I had been called up, I ran a Giro Women's cycling I was completely relaxed, able to focus on my work and getting fit. In short, I felt good.
This is also why when they asked you about your director role Did you say you wanted more? Were you afraid that role would be reductive? Tell us more...
The role of director is very important, But I think that in a Grand Tour or a World Championships where there are 6-7 athletes, it's one thing; in an Olympics where there are four, it's another. It's normal to have to make decisions even without a radio. In this case, we were all experts. What I wanted to say was that I expected myself to be actively present in the race and not just be there to make decisions or tell the others what to do.
Go ahead…
In fact I tried to escape, in short, I wanted to be, and I was, a director but also an actress. I enjoyed the pressure I put on myself. The same goes for my approach to the race. The role of director isn't reductive at all—in fact, I enjoy it—but in a four-man race, it wasn't enough; more was needed. And so I did.
So you didn't want more hierarchy?
No, no… our points of reference were Elisa and Elisa! Balsamo, in the event of a constant shuffling from behind and a sprint finish. Longo Borghini in the event of a tougher and more selective race, as it turned out. And I believe that Italy fielded the best four athletes available for this challenge and for that course.
And now?
I will resume in Plouay on August 24th. For now, I'm at home in Monte Carlo. I had a week of recovery, some post-Olympic relaxation, and I've started training again, while Elia will recover a bit more. But it's incredibly hot. Usually, there's always a bit of air here, but instead, nothing. Even if you work out for three hours, you spend the rest of the day recovering.
