Italian cycling wants and needs Federica Venturelli. It's probably the price of talent and the ability to go fast on any bike they give her.The Cremonese is already in cyclocross mode (at the beginning an image from last season), where Punctual he makes no secret of waiting for her. He finished the road season with the damned fall before the World Cup and had previously won gold in the scratch at the European Junior Championships and gold in the pursuit at the World Championships. At 17, one's energy is relatively inexhaustible, while The girl's maturity in telling her story makes us understand what a great school of life cycling is.
The last image we have in Federica's eyes is his walk down the hotel corridor, still limping after the road race.
How was the return from the World Cup?
But yes, quite calm. The journey was long and I still had some discomfort from my wounds., which were not yet completely in place. However, all in all it was rewarded by the experience I had in the previous two weeks.
Have you made peace with what happened, have you come to terms with it?
Yes, certainly, these are things that can happen in sports And you can't always be lucky. It's something you have to accept.
Was this the first time you've experienced something like this?
Let's say that a fall just before an important race, especially a world championship, had never happened to me before. However, it has already happened that you arrive at some pretty important races not in the best condition, that's true. I have always tried to give my best and bring home an experience.
Pontoni awaits you with great hopes.
I started over the weekend to getting used to the cyclocross bike, which had just arrivedI'll start racing this week, next weekend in Spain. So I won't stop after the road world championship, even though I had already had a rest period in AugustAnd then there were three sick breaks, followed by more rest, both forced and unforced. Let's just say I've already done enough (smiles, ed.). Then, since there's a fairly quiet period... after European cross country championships, I'll have some time to unplug again.
How do you cope with the fact that everyone is waiting for Venturelli?
Well, in the end I live it quite well, without pressure. Also because in the national road and cyclocross teams, the result is important, but they don't put any pressure on us. This makes me enjoy the experiences I have.And even though I know I can do well, I still stay relaxed and try to do my best.
Do you also put pressure on yourself?
Actually from my point of view, I think I put the biggest pressure on myself.Especially in national competitions, where I know I can do well and everyone expects something from me. However, in international competitions, with stronger opponents, maybe I feel less under observation, because I know there is a greater chance that things will not go well.
Road, track, cross, what is it about each that you like?
Basic I like the bikeEvery discipline has something special that makes me want to practice it. I really like the road, especially the climbs.Flat races are the ones I like least, because they are quite boring and nervous. The group also scares me a little. Instead, the climbs make the race more lively and really bring out the strongest. I like the time trial because it's a race within yourself., you don't run so much against others, but rather against your own desire to improve and the psychological pressures you put on yourself.
And the cross?
In my opinion it is the most fun discipline, because the mud, the varying weather conditions, and the ever-changing routes make it the most variable. On the other hand, I really enjoy watching the track, because watching a road race makes you lose so much, while on the track you can always see everything. It is perhaps the discipline that transmits the most feelings to me. because there is a greater adrenaline rush that makes itself felt.
Even girls are starting to go abroad, see Barale and then Ciabocco. Is this something you might consider for the future?
Certainly not for next year, because I will still have school and I aim to do my best in my final examsI prefer to focus on studying, especially for next year, while I don't know anything about the future yet, we'll see how the situation evolves.
