Small but with a huge grit: it's Gaia Realini

She's small, but "very bad" Gaia Realini. She has a grit like very few other girls. We may all be used to seeing her navigate the tape and mud of cyclocross, but the Abruzzo native can go fast, and really go fast, on the road too.

Grit is her trademark. We've seen it more than once, especially in crosses, and where her legs couldn't reach, she got there with her head, skill, and desire. A desire to do and improve that Gaia also put in the suitcase that she brought with her to the Giro d'Italia Women's cycling, first major international experience in stages.

"I'm doing well in this Giro," Realini told us after yesterday's great time trial (ninth, even ahead of his majesty Longo Borghini). "I'm competing against the best nationally and internationally, and it's my first experience. Yes, I prepared well, but I didn't know what to expect. It's all a surprise for me too."

The Giro is already leading in winter

Gaia talks about different ways of running, of being in a group, of managing the race. But apparently she's doing well. 

«I've done a lot of open races, but here things are a little different. The competition, the tension, are there but at certain times. While in the races I usually do, it's always a constant attack, maybe because they're also shorter. And I see that there's a completely different mentality.

How did I prepare? Compared to cross-country, I definitely spent more time in the saddle and also did longer, high-intensity workouts. In short, I didn't just focus on explosiveness. After the off-road season I didn't stop immediately, but I kept going to make the most of the condition I had in the first races of the road season. I rode the Strade Bianche and Cittiglio. I realized how inexperienced I was. But it was still a good test."

Gaia started racing from G2 inFriends on Bikes by Domenico Cerati. She followed her father Giacinto who cycled to keep fit. Then she went to Tuscany to Vallerbike and this winter, precisely because she wanted to have new experiences and taste international terrains also on the road, she landed at the court of John Fidanza.

Looking for experience

Inexperience. Gaia Realini may be inexperienced, but she speaks with knowledge of the facts. At least knowing she is is already a step forward. And in that sense, she couldn't have landed in a better team, Isolmant-Premac directed by Giovanni Fidanza, very good with the younger ones.

"Giovanni," Realini says, "gives us a lot of advice. We came to the Giro with a very young team, just starting out. The morning always tells us not to take risks, to be careful, but at the same time to make ourselves seen, to put our potential into play. and to give my best.

"Yesterday, too, he helped me a lot with the radio in the time trial. I didn't expect to go so fast because it was my first time trial. I'd never done one in my life. And I was a little scared to be there alone. But Fidanza guided me through everything: he gave me times, he cheered me on… The signs of the remaining kilometers were then a huge reference, because I tried to look at the potentiometer as little as possible, otherwise it would have seemed very long, while this way I adjusted the effort based on the distance».

Realini like Pozzovivo?

Small physique, but with great determination, intelligence and climbing skills: Gaia could almost be compared to Domenico Pozzovivo.

"Well," he laughs, "that's understandable! Climbing is definitely the terrain I like best and where I defend myself best, while I suffer, and a lot, in sprints, especially because I can't make room for myself in the group."

Realini is truly motivated and brims with enthusiasm. She herself talks about the thrill of being around people like Longo Borghini, Van der Breggen, Your…his idols.

"My Giro so far in one word? Fantastic!"