Elisa Longo Borghini shows off good humor and concrete topicsThe lightness discovered in the last two years has brought her, among other things, the unexpected victory of RoubaixOn this day leading up to the end of the December retreat in Calpe, the Piedmontese has just returned from training and went to confront Paul Slongo, his coach for years.
«There were some good athletes before – he smiles – but now the team has strengthened a lotI'm happy about this, because besides giving us great opportunities to win with several players, it also allows us to compete. I'm really looking forward to starting the season. I won't be on all the races anymore, that's true. Even if when I get called, I have to win."
In the middle of the race
La Trek-Segafredo is the squadron number one of the women's WorldTour. Of course, Movistar won Liège, the Giro, the Tour and the World Championships with Annemiek Van Vleuten. Likewise, FDJ-Suez won Amstel, Flèche Wallonne and Ventoux Denivele with Marta Cavalli, but the American squadron's sense of team spirit is unbeatable. In 2023, among the names to be circled in red, in addition to that of the Piedmontese, there will be Balsamo and Van Dijk, Spratt, Deignan and Lucinda Brand e new arrivals Realini and Yaya Sanguineti.
«Maybe – Longo Borghini continues – I won't have to be a leader when it's not strictly necessary, although I always like to be in the thick of the action. So I'm very pleased that there have been new additions for the tougher races, because it allows us to play different cards."
What will your space be like? Do you still feel like an evolving athlete?
Looking at the data, there's room for further improvement. I'd like to be a little... more performing uphill to play my cards well even in stage races. It seems that there are enough of them, but if I can improve, I can really think about something more. There are some very strong girls, for goodness sake, but I can also be part of the game.
New talent is also arriving among you…
I see young people growing exponentially. Just look. Silvia Persico, Eleonora Gasparrini or Marta Cavalli, who has exploded in the last year and a halfThere's a group of girls that are going really strong. Personally, I'm happy about it, because also as a national team, this makes us strongerIt's the result of different race management, the professionalization of all teams, and the emergence of women's WorldTours linked to men's teams. Their know-how raises the level of the girls and this does a lotIn the last 5 years, in my opinion, there has been an incredible evolution and I am happy about it.
What's in store for you in 2023?
Personally I would focus more on the Tour, because last year that result left a bitter taste in my mouth (Longo Borghini finished sixth, 8'26" behind Van Vleuten, ed.). It was going well, because I was going fast, then I made a few small mistakes and things went badly. You learn from your mistakes and so I would like to return to the Tour in my best condition to try again.
With what goal?
To be honest, I could aim for a top 5 or at most a third placeTo say that I want to win the Tour would be to be arrogant. I want to go there to express myself to the best of my ability.Then we'll see...
Why did you choose to leave the State Police?
Because with the professionalization of sport and with the contracts that arrive, you have to choose one thing or the otherI'm speaking for myself, of course. At a certain point I found myself faced with a situation where the two things truly collided. I thank the Fiamme Oro so much for what they have doneThey took me under their wing and were instrumental in that moment. If I was able to continue, if I've come this far, it's also thanks to them. For Nicola Assuntore and Lucio Paravano, who are the two responsible for it, I have immense gratitude.
What is the use of military groups now that the WorldTour is spreading?
The military bodies are precious for the reality of the track, which is very different from that of the road, at male level and for young girlsIf I think back to how I was, I'm sure that without them, I would have been a bit lost. That's why I hope they can continue, perhaps in a different way, perhaps focusing more on young players. I was disappointed, I have to be honest, because anyway in the future I would have liked to be useful to societyI would have liked to be with dog handlers, maybe become a shooting instructor. In short, helping people, not so much standing at crossroads with a shovel in hand.
Three key figures for you: Slongo, your mother, and Jacopo Mosca. Where do we start?
I owe a lot to Slongo, my results are the fruit of our workFor me, there's no better coach. I really like his approach, even with my mentality. He is a very calm person, while I am sometimes a little more hot-tempered.I get very upset, I always want to do things. Instead, Paolo reassures and calms me. He's precise, he has his own ideas. He has a very long-term vision of things. We never start with training sessions that aren't focused on the future.We always have our eyes fixed on the future, and I like that. I like those who look ahead, those who are ambitious, those who always seek something more.
Mom?
At first it was the person who was most opposed to my brother and I playing sports, but not for any particular reason. If only because she knew full well how much sacrifice sport requires. When we started and began touring the world, she became our first fan. My mother (Guidina Dal Sasso, Italian cross-country skier, ed.), would do a bit of everything for me. Besides following me to the races, sometimes when I'm at home and it's very cold, maybe I'll ask her if she'll join me at the top of the hill I've just climbed. And then she takes the car, comes and brings me a cape or something warm. Having attended ISEF and having been an athlete, she knows how things work. Obviously now She's been letting me go for years, but as a woman she understands certain athlete dynamics.
And Jacopo?
I found my peace of mind, my serenity. I was talking to him while we were going to do the lactate test with Slongo and we were telling each other that in the end it's nice to be here in TrekBeing on retreat together, being professional. We may not see each other all day, but still knowing it's there is a good way to live. Then there are also moments and months in which we don't see each other, but when we are together we are truly together. I know that if I forget something, he's always there.
