All Return the companies of the Realini they have made Erika's performance pass a little under the radar, in an Italian key MagnaldiThe former granfondo cyclist confirmed her great propensity for stage races, finishing in eighth place after having been in direct contact with the best all week.
Her performance takes on greater value considering that things could have gone even better if Magnaldi's ranking hadn't been made difficult by her debut.
«In the team time trial – says the girl from UAE Team Adq – we didn't do very well, we finished outside the top 10 and we accumulated a gap of more than 40" which actually weighed heavily on the standings. It was a shame because we didn't make any mistakes, we always remained at the forefront and my final position proves it.».
In the fan stage that caused Realini to be significantly delayed, you were the only Italian in the first group…
It wasn't luck, we knew it would be a difficult stage and we had studied it on the eve, highlighting the delicate points in case of wind. There would have been a battle, It was clear that the main teams were going to war and we had to stay aheadWe weren't surprised when it came to the fans, so much so that in the end there were three of us in the first group. I have to thank the team because I suffer a lot from the wind. I have to say that I felt very satisfied that day.
How did you get into the Spanish stage race?
I was in good shape, but not at my best. Recovery from iliac artery surgery October was long and difficult, the doctors told me that I wouldn't be able to get 100 percent of my performance before June, so my Vuelta was really good and that gives me hope for the next commitments.
Which should include both the Giro and the Tour…
It is not yet official who will be taken to the other major stage races – specifies Magnaldi – we are waiting to know in detail what the route of the women's Giro d'Italia will be like. However, it doesn't scare me and it wouldn't be the first time for me, I know that recovery skills are a prerogative of mine.
There's been a lot of discussion about moving the Vuelta to spring. Do you agree?
In my opinion, it was a good choice. I'm also speaking out of personal interests, in the previous location it was still too hot and I don't like it very much, although we still had a few summer-like days this time. The problem is that the Vuelta fell into a very busy month, which includes many stage races, including in Spain, and so I won't be doing everything. It's a delicate phase; we need to work towards the Giro, to arrive there in the best possible condition.
Has your preparation changed, precisely because of your operation?
Not so much, but the work was very delicate especially because I had to completely change my position on the bike, so as not to overstress the area affected by the artery. The angles of thrust changed and I had to do a lot of muscular work.The winter was difficult, I was able to train very little and for this reason, before the Ardennes period, we spent three and a half weeks at high altitude where I accumulated the work and kilometers that I had not been able to do in the previous months.
Who trains you?
Dario Giovine, my partner, is the trainer of the Team Colpack and a still active triathlete, in addition to managing the MindBody Coaching which also has a mountain bike team prominent. He was very good at keeping me in check after the operation, I would have started again immediately, He made me take small steps, making me understand that patience would bring the best results.
The job must not have been easy, having to change the pedaling setting…
I had started doing it even before the operation, just in anticipation of it and I must also say thanks to the mechanics of Sport3D which helped me a lot with this. On this topic, however, I'd like to say something more...
Please…
It's no coincidence that 20 percent of professional cyclists suffer from this condition. I believe we can and should do more in terms of prevention before resorting to surgery.It's a little-known area, but there are now centers in Italy and abroad working specifically on this topic, to achieve early diagnosis. By carefully studying the influence of each position on the body and on the functioning of the various physical parts, the problem can be prevented.
Lots of placings this year too, but honestly, do you miss the taste of victory?
Yes, I've been smelling it for a while now but I haven't managed to get my hands on it yet. Consistency has always been one of my strong points, but to win you always need something more and I still have to find it.I'm increasingly aware of my possibilities, I still have to climb that last step, but it's not long now.
