DENIA (Spain) – Composure, tailored elegance and a big smile. This is how Elisa Balsamo sits down to talk with us in these midwinter days. Work for 2026 has already begun, and everything seems to be going well. The first distances, the first sprints, the first tests.
The thing that struck us most is that, as you will see, Balsamo always speaks in the plural. It's not just her, but her and the team. Typical of champions, a detail that strikes you positively. The Lidl Trek he is banking a lot on her and the Piedmontese is evidently aware of this.
Elisa, let's start from 2025. What kind of year was it? What was good and what wasn't so good?
I would say the year started off very positively. Spring was more than good, many results and many podiums arrived, so I would say I'm satisfied.Maybe I missed a really important victory, but I was always there. The summer, on the other hand, was a little more difficult.
Why?
We only found out later that I'd contracted a virus that had affected me a bit all summer. Despite this, the season finale went quite well. I can say it was a season to put away, finally completed without any major setbacks. After two years with such bad falls you don't fully recover in just one season, so for this reason I think it was a positive year from this aspect too.
You've had a solid year of racing and placings, without any hiccups. Does that give you confidence?
Yes, it gives me confidence and also to my staff, to the people who work with me in the team. We've talked, held meetings and everyone is confident that this season was a good foundation for next year. I can't wait to get started.
And we come to the usual question…
La Wiebes!
Yes, jokes aside. Not so much for a direct comparison, but to establish a technical discussion using her as a reference. We always talk about watts: how can we use them to close the gap with absolute sprinters like Lorena?
You have to find the right compromise. For a sprinter who can hold up even on not too long climbs, like me, It's difficult to find the balance between sprint training, strength training, gym work, starts and sprints., without gaining too much weight and continuing to do hill work for 5 to 15 minutes. When you work harder on one aspect, you inevitably lose something in the other.
You're always on the edge of a knife...
It's true. This year, however, I think I've found a good balance. The idea of improving a few more watts in sprinting is there, but the main goal is to be able to express them at the end of a tough race. There are athletes who maybe produce more watts than me, but they can't do it after four hours of racing. I think that's my strength: being able to produce significant watts after so many hours and so many kilometers. That's what we're working on.
So you don't just fly in groups, but also some more challenging classics?
I do not hide that My main goals for 2026 will be Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix. They're two tough races, not entirely flat, but you still have to get there and compete in the sprint. If we're setting these goals, it's because I've realized I'm an athlete suited to those types of races.
Do you like the fact that the mileage is increasing?
"Well," Elisa sighs, "it's become a bit devastating. There are races where it's understandable to increase the distance, like the Sanremo. It's understandable there, especially since the men's race is famous for its 300 kilometers." For the rest, I would avoid continuing to add kilometers: there is the risk of making the races monotonous in the first part, Because they're too long. I think we're already at a good level, with the right mileage. I know not everyone thinks so, because some girls have different physical characteristics.
In what sense?
There are athletes who can't perform in a 100-kilometer race, but can in a 160-170-kilometer race. It's a very subjective thing.
Have you done any technical work on the bike?
I changed the handlebars. I was the only one on the team still using the old ones. Now it's integrated and, most importantly, it's not the same size at the top and bottom, meaning the top is narrower than the curve. That's the only change, because otherwise I've always been happy with everything.
We'll end with the track. Next year, the race to Los Angeles begins...
It's true, but my main goal remains the road. Despite this I returned to the track for some training, even before coming here to Spain for the retreatAnd I'll keep going. I'll be competing in the European Championships at the beginning of February, but I'm trying to treat the track as a complementary activity to the road.
In what way?
I'm sure that track work is also very useful for the road, given my characteristics. The closer we get to Los Angeles, we may have to give up some roadside amenities, But that's not my idea for next year. The goal is to get back on track after some time, find the right feeling, and use the work on the track to reach our goals on the road as well.
