Lara Vieceli is enjoying her vacation in this unusual winter (Instagram photo above). First, a brief stop in the United States, then the Caribbean, for a total of ten days. We contact you while you are still in the country with the stars and stripes flagThe line comes and goes, but with a little patience the interview gets done.
“The holiday,” she says in the company of her boyfriend, “was postponed until December because I had knee surgery first. After-effects of a fall I had in March, which caused me to rupture my tibial plateau and cruciate ligament. The orthopedist who examined me told me that I could still run., there were four months left until the end of the season, and of his career. With some pain I still completed my last season».
Your career ended at just 30 years old…
I had made up my mind well before the injury. Actually, after the March stop, I had some doubts and I thought: "Maybe I'll continue for another year."But in the end the decision was well-rooted, I had made this choice since last winter. I had decided that I would spend the last New Year's Eve on a bike and so it was.I put my first number on my back when I was six, I told myself it was time to do something else.
A really long career.
I have been among the big changes in women's cycling, mentally tiring situations. Over the last few seasons, enormous strides have been made, perhaps in some respects, even too much has been done.
Has women's cycling changed that much?
A lot. The situation is increasingly professional, the quality is great. When I passed the first elite year, it was 2012, and things were done a bit haphazardly.Then came increasingly sophisticated and professional systems: tools, training methods, and nutrition. In the beginning, the winners were those who managed to get things right, and it was often a matter of trial and error; once you found the right "method," you continued. Now even in continental races the right weight is given to things: especially training and nutrition. Although the latter is not an easy topic.
Why?
Many of my colleagues have had a negative relationship with food, me too. The companies didn't have the skills at the beginning and put a lot of pressureThere were a lot of external pressures and a lot of emotions to overcome this obstacle. Studying helped me a lot.Over the years I've learned not to listen to those who don't have the expertise in the matter.
What did you study?
I graduated in Sports Science and then in Sports Management. I like studying, I have always given a lot of importance to educationI don't believe in being an athlete and having nothing in your hands once your career is over.
What do you see in your future?
I don't know, now I've taken the time to rest. But from January I hope to have something more concrete in handI got into cycling as a teenager, I have no work experience other than racing bikes. My education and various studies give me confidence in facing my post-career life.I don't see myself as very connected to the world of cycling, being prepared offers me broader horizons.
You became elite more than 10 years ago…
My first team (Verinlegno-Fabiani) folded without warning at the end of that season. I found myself knowing no one, and on top of that, it was the Olympic year. It was practically a disaster. Luckily I found SC Michela Fanini Rox who gave me an opportunityLater I found myself in the situation of having to look for another team, It was 2018 and I came across the project of CeratiziteI ran with them until 2022. In the end, I think I've carved out my role.
What was it?
To do from gregarious, a role that in my opinion suited my characteristics and which has not been easy to carry on for so long.
Why?
Because in the world of women's cycling at the professional and WorldTour levels, there's room to replicate the male model. But not all situations are like this. It is not always possible to have a clear distinction between female and male captains.Even the big teams have 15-16 athletes, no more. And there are so many competitions on the calendar, teams often bring 4-5 athletes instead of the expected six. It's not easy to see so many teams investing, but you can see the ones that are worth it.Ceratizit is a positive example for me, in four years with them I have never had a doubt.
You decided to study anyway despite having an established career…
For two reasons. The first is that cycling for many years was not a jobI couldn't live there. If it weren't for my parents, I wouldn't have been able to continue. There was no money in circulation, and the expense reimbursements were truly meager. The second reason is that of training and growth, which is what I was saying before.
Best progress made by the world of women's cycling?
I may seem venial but I'm talking about salaries. Being able to consider cycling a job is the security that was missingHaving a regular contract, paying contributions—not all girls experience this situation, but they're increasingly more so. I'll give you an example...
Tell us.
To improve in training, you need to grow and rely on experts: coaches and nutritionists. The problem is that until recently the expense reimbursement was 300 euros, try telling me how you could have relied on professionals. Considering that the teams didn't have any on their roster.
You leave behind a cycling that has grown, but is not yet “arrived”.
He's grown a lot and I'm happy about it. But, as I said before, it has not finished its evolutionary process. I'm still happy to leave it like this.
