Racing for just a few years, starting out as a youngster, and finding yourself in the big time in cycling in no time. It's the story of Erica Magnaldi, Cuneo in force at Ceratizit-Wnt Pro Cycling. According to many, but also according to the numbers, the Piedmontese athlete is perhaps the strongest pure climber we have in Italy. Our memory of her was seeing her emerge among the greats at Le Grand Bornand, on the occasion of La Course. It was 2018 and at the same time as his male colleagues' arrival at the Tour, this little wren appeared among the giants of the pedals and the cheering… at the Tour.
But while his history with cycling is young, his relationship with mountains, climbs, and hard work has much deeper roots.
Erica, is that the case? Are you the strongest climber in Italy?
I'm certainly among the few Italian climbers. But it must be said that Elisa Longo Borghini She's also very strong on climbs. It's not easy to beat her when the road goes uphill, even though she's not a pure climber. I can handle it when the climb is tough. 10 percent and up.
Given your climbing skills, have you ever been compared to anyone else? Or do you yourself take inspiration from anyone?
I could be a Roglic because mine is a somewhat particular story.
And what is this story?
I came from a background in cross-country skiing. I started skiing at three on the slopes of Valle Stura and Pragelato, and by six I was already competing. And that was the case until I was 20. Then I started studying medicine and quit cross-country skiing, despite having reached a significant level. But I missed the sport. And since my dad Fulvio and my brother Mattia (who was also U23) they were pedaling, I started to go with them. So cycling was a buzzword in our house. But my love of competitive cycling began almost by chance.
Tell us…
I pedaled and saw that I was doing well. I started competing and even winning some long-distance races. I noticed that I was strong on the climbs, and a few teams contacted me. But at that point, I waited until I graduated before joining the elite. I had the time my whole life to become a doctor, but I had to finish my studies first. And so it went. I was 25 years old. This is why I say that I could compare myself to Roglic, like him I come from the snow. I've been a little too ambitious, I realize! I have a long way to go to get to her level!
What a great fund you had made?
I've done several. Many in my area, in Piedmont. Also I won the Dolomites Marathon three times, the Fausto coppi...
And how did you get into elite cycling?
Thanks to the contact with a cycling enthusiast who knew Walter Zini, sports director of the BePinkIt was 2017 and they were going to the Tour of the Ardeche, a major stage race. They were short one athlete, and Walter asked me if I wanted to go with them to France. I tried it and did well. In short, I got started right away with a major race! And so I signed with them for 2018.
You started late, but you're already in the big time cycling scene: how did you do it?
I think that having done an aerobic sport like cross-country skiing for many years gave me a good foundation and it didn't take me long to get used to the tougher races. And I especially noticed this in my first year with BePink. Then I moved to Ceratizit in 2019. I'm happy here. I don't know how many more years I can live this life, and I seized the opportunity to have an international experience, learning new languages. Right now, for example, I'm on a training camp in Calpe, Spain. Today (yesterday for those reading, ed.) we finished late between photo shoots and training. And before that, we were in Gran Canaria, in the heat. I admit, with all the snow that fell this year, I was a little sad to leave, because I would have gladly continued skiing. When I see snow on the side of the road, cross-country skiing calls to me…
Well, the bottom is a good workout. We have some I also spoke with Trentin…
Yes, it is compatible with cycling.
What was the biggest challenge in approaching major cycling? We bet it was staying in a group!
"Exactly," Magnaldi exclaims, "That was the biggest challenge and it's still my greatest weakness. I don't have the malice of someone born and raised on a bike." I have to learn to file down, to stay ahead without spending too much energy, but I'm getting better... But yes: that was a real shock!
Precisely because you started late you have a big margin: are Van Vleuten, Longo Borghini, Van der Breggen unreachable or are you working to catch up with them?
I'm working to achieve them. The goals must be ambitious. I've even beaten them in some races, where they may not have been in top form. I'm not saying they're unattainable, but they're certainly far away. I know I have some headroom (Erica was born in 1992, ed.) and it comforts me to know that Van Vleuten didn't start too early either. Having the chance to be close to them and see them struggle... it gives me satisfaction.
And how are you working to reduce this gap?
This winter I built a good foundation, I did more hours, I did more strength and above all I changed my pace more, which was the thing I missed the most. I haven't worked too much on the long climbs, also because we only encounter those at the Line of Business. I worked on the ones that last two to four minutes, which are the most common.
And do you feel the improvements? What do the numbers say?
The watts increase, but I think it's also something physiological. I started doing 9.000 kilometers a year, then 18.000 in my first elite season, then 21.000. And Last year, despite the lockdown, I made 26.000. I see the leg changing in shape too.
Who follows you?
My current fitness trainer and boyfriend is Dario Giovine, I met him skiing years ago, and he was also a cross-country skier. And he, too, was an amateur and spent a year with a Continental team. It's Dario who decides how much he has to suffer in training!
