MONTICHIARI – His was one of the most anticipated returns. The bad injury he suffered at the end of May Elisa Balsam had in one fell swoop influenced the thoughts of the national road and track riders. Now the Cuneo player is available again and is very eager to be useful to the cause.
The 25-year-old Lidl-Trek employee has been very busy over the last two months.. Part of his recovery we treated with Elizabeth Borgia a few days ago. Balsamo has resumed at Tour FemmesA participation without any pretensions, it couldn't have been otherwise. However, he achieved a good fifth place in the sprint on the third day of the race, before abandoning after the sixth stage so as not to compromise the path of the second part of the season, which begins with the Glasgow World Cup. In Montichiari, Balsamo works both in the velodrome gym and on the track with specific exercises. Between one and the other, our back-and-forth begins while he is eating a bar.
Elisa, does chewing still bother you?
No, I can do it quite well now. Only extremely hard and crunchy foods, such as an almond, I still can't bite into well.. As for the rest, I have to say that I've fixed almost everything. My teeth aren't all right, but the chewing ones have been fixed.
What was it like to fuel during the race after an accident like yours?
It wasn't easy. Luckily, there are now many soft products, such as gels or jellies, which are easier to eat.. Then maltodextrin is used a lot in water bottles, so that also helps keep you fueled. I can eat soft rolls or rice cakes more often off the bike., because I can chew them calmly. To be honest At the Tour, during the quiet moments of the stage, I tried it and I also trained on that type of gesture.
How are things going on a postural level?
The osteopath had to work a lot. I'm not 100% right with my hand yet.It still hurts a little, and my position on the bike isn't perfect, with all the consequences. We all know that the body is connected. The impact I took in the face had repercussions on the rear part of my body, between the cervical and back areas..
How did it go in France?
I went to the Tour to work hardIt was needed. I started with only three weeks of training, I couldn't expect anything else. I did a few days of recovery as soon as I got back from France. I hope all the work done so far will come out soon.
Will you be competing on the track and road at the World Championships?
Yes, although we are still waiting for some confirmation. On the road I spoke with Paolo (the city Sangalli, ed) and in theory I should be on the teamOn the track, however, we have to understand with Marco (the city manager Villa, ed.) who will race and what specialties they will have, but we will know everything in these last few days before the start of the world championship.
Sangalli had told us that the circuit was perfect for you...
I'm definitely not getting there in the condition I wanted. We know you have to be at 110 percent for a World Cup, so getting there at 80 percent might not be enough. But in the end, I think it'll be a very special World Cup.. There are many bends, it could almost certainly rain and these factors could reshuffle the cards in playRaces like this can be very unpredictable. I will try to do my best with the condition I have, also because it cannot be done otherwise. (smiles, ed.)
How did you experience your recovery?
I've always tried to be optimistic, right from the early days. The desire to return was great. That's what pushed me to have a quick recovery. Even the surgeon couldn't believe his eyes when after a month I could move my mouth quite well.He really didn't expect it, but I've been working really hard on physiotherapy. It wasn't easy, but the goal of returning to the Tour definitely helped.
Did this injury scare you a little?
I got along quite well in the group. Definitely I still feel it a little when going downhill or at very high speeds, mostly out of fear of relapsing and hurting myself again after the first time. However One of the objectives of the Tour was to come back and find a good feeling in the race. For now I think I've done it pretty well.
What is Elisa Balsamo's plan after the World Cup?
I will do the Tour of Scandinavia and Simac Tour Between the end of August and the beginning of September. I might also play in Plouay, but we'll evaluate it with the team. Then I will run the races in Italy and I think also the European ChampionshipLuckily the season doesn't end after Glasgow. Let's hope that some more great satisfactions will come.
