Yesterday's Classic Morbihan was Martina Alzini's last race with the jersey of Valcar-Travel&Service (opening, photo @bastiengason), closed with the victory of Sofia Bertizzolo and third place of Chiara ConsonniIn this great end-of-season shuffle, after Balsamo and Guazzini, Villa and Arzeni's team loses another important piece. And if the president has already told the strategy and problems of his… creature, follow one of our most representative girls on her journey towards French Cofidis it is a matter of interest.
Women's cycling's cycling is changing at the speed of light. WorldTour teams double upThe richest ones buy someone else's license to debut immediately in the top category (UAE Emirates with Alé BTC Ljubljana). Those accustomed to doing things step by step choose to adhere to UCI regulations. So if you've never been involved in the women's cycling scene, you need to experience a season as a continental rider before moving up to the WorldTour. It makes sense and the 2022 Cofidis will indeed be a continental team, but with Vasseur's team behind it.
Valcar family
Alzini arrived at Valcar-Travel&Service two years ago, she is not one of those athletes who have gone through all the steps there, however the sense of detachment is still there.
«The emotion is strong – he says – I have like the feeling of leaving a familyI will forever be grateful to Valcar, because they welcomed me when Bigla closed, even though it was the year of lockdown. That's why I waited until the last minute for their offer before accepting Cofidis's.
Why them?
When the news came out that they were going to be making the women's team, it was known that they were just starting out. They moved on the market looking first for the strongest French ones, but almost all of them had another year left on their contracts. They are an international company, they announced that they wanted to take half French and half athletes from other countries and so they also looked for meI think it's great for women's cycling. I chose them because they have a WorldTour team behind them. We will have the same jerseys, bikes, accessories and some of the staffI spoke to Vasseur, he's the boss. I already have an email with the various training camps, and we'll often be together with the men's team. I find it very motivating.
How are you doing with French?
I speak it well. Languages are my great passion, this certainly won't be a problem.
What do Cofidis have more than other teams?
It's clear that I don't know exactly yet, we haven't even started yet. It's a closed box that I can't wait to open. However, there are many points in the contract that are not even considered elsewhere. I see a lot of job protection. Being 24 years old I may not care about it, but reading that a pension fund will be created, it makes me understand that we are talking about true professionalism.
In Mouscron, the day after the Flanders, Alzini is numb and happy for the victory of her teammate Consonni 
Immediately after, happy and frozen, partying with the "Conso"
In Mouscron, the day after the Flanders, Alzini is numb and happy for the victory of her teammate Consonni 
Immediately after, happy and frozen, partying with the "Conso"
You'll be the only Italian athlete, apparently, on a team that has plenty of Italians: from sporting director Damiani to Simone Consonni, including some of the staff like Amadio...
I know Damiani well, he lives in the town where I was born, and I exchanged a few words with himIt's a very exciting and not scary step for me. I've already had a taste of the experience of working with an international team at Bigla, which has given me something extra.
At Valcar-Travel&Service, for you it was mainly about chasing faster girls, even though Arzeni always said that if you believed in yourself more…
It's a point we need to work on, and I think it's true. This is also why, despite the fact that they're really good with themselves, At 24 I felt like giving myself some personal satisfactionI will absolutely not leave the track, but in the first part of the season I would like to stand out, also for to show Cofidis that they were right to bet on me for the next two years. There's also the Tour…
That in a French team…
It will be important! It wouldn't be bad to do well in one stage. Among the ambitions, however, there is also the idea of to arrive well at the Paris OlympicsThey care a lot about it too, that's why I'll have the space I need for the track.
We did the first interview on bici.PRO at the beginning of the season, we were talking about going to Tokyo…
True (smiles, ed.), in some ways I expected a season like thisI wanted to go to the Olympics and do well, the ambition was a medal so the quartet's sixth place is bitterBut we looked at each other and understood what we could do to improve. The season went as I had planned. I've also run quite a bit on the roadSecond place in the opening time trial of the Toscana was a product of the track. In short, I took home a few points.
Will the family break up or stay together?
I look at these girls. We laugh, we joke with the knowledge that these will be the last days togetherI'd like to run together again in a few years, you never know. I would also like to meet up with them every now and then for an aperitif, dressed normally.Meanwhile, Guazzini will pay for the next one…
Why?
When it came out that Elisa (Balsamo, ed.) was changing teams, she didn't tell anyone where she was going. So we made a bet and whoever guessed right would pay for the aperitif.. And the “Vitto” said the Trek, so it's her turn.
There's only one event left to close the season...
Next week's track world championship. Losing Guazzini in the Roubaix crash was unfortunate.I saw the quartet's entry list, there are some nice names, but we are nice names tooStarting Monday, we'll all hit the slopes. And maybe we'll leave 2021 with a good taste in our mouths.
