Some victories have a special flavour, small races that can be worth, in the eyes of those who triumph, as much as a Milan-Sanremo. Beatrice Rossato It was a bit like this: when she crossed the finish line of the Circuito Rosa dell'Assunta first, her eyes flashed for a moment on all the sacrifices she has made up to now, not only to be there, in that moment, but to be a cyclist, at 25 years old. Because Beatrice is not used to simple things: unlike many, playing sports has never given her preferential highways, neither in study nor at work..
The victory, which had come only hours earlier, was already forgotten. The next day, as usual Monday through Friday, Rossato reported to work as a chemical laboratory technician in Treviso, for her eight-hour day.
«But – says Beatrice – During the Covid period there were even more, I often found myself returning home late at night, after an endless series of swab analyses. At least then I worked close to home, now I have to travel every day from Rosà (in the Vicenza area, ed.) to Treviso, where I work for a multinational company."
Let's start from the beginning: who is Beatrice Rossato?
A 25-year-old Venetian girl, sunny, tenacious and determinedThanks to these characteristics, I put aside my studies, which culminated in a master's degree with honors, and threw myself into the world of work. But without ever putting aside cycling, which is the other part of my life.
How did this passion begin?
I've always had a passion for sports: I swam, skied, and played volleyball, but one day, seeing that there was always a group of kids training behind my house, I said I wanted to give it a try. Since I was doing quite well, they made me do my first G5 races and from there I never stopped.But for a while I combined cycling with volleyball, because I really liked the group I played in and I didn't want to give it up.
Are there any cycling enthusiasts at your house?
My father and grandfather go on bike rides but they are not competitive cyclists. To tell the truth, at home they weren't so happy at first, they were rowing a bit against the flow thinking about all the dangers on the road.. But then they became my first supporters.
Do you still remember your first bike?
And how could I forget it… Actually I should use the plural because first of all there was my first bike as a child, with training wheels and I absolutely didn't want to take them off, so much so that one day a neighbor said it was time to take them off, I was scared but after a while I got used to it. I remember that I absolutely wanted there to be a basket in front to carry the snack, it was essential… Then my first racing bike, given to me by the company Cycle Team Cassola 2000It was a yellow and red Cavalera with a blue ribbon. I got it back recently and keep it as a cherished keepsake.
How much of your character is there in Beatrice the cyclist?
A lot, I think my way of running reflects me. I'm a climber-pedestrian, I like it when the race gets tough and brings out all the suffering that is needed to excel.I always give my all, on the bike as in life.
Runners often talk about sacrifice. Does that word have a special meaning for you?
Let's say it has value. I have never had any concessions: for example, I asked to bring forward my final exams due to my sporting commitments but it was denied, Even at university, they certainly didn't roll out the red carpet for me because I was competing; I was required to attend. At work, there was no question of it, full-time for two years, but that's the way it should be: it's what I worked so hard for.
How do you train?
If I manage to have normal workdays, I dedicate myself to training as soon as I finish, and I manage to get in a good two hours. Let's say I train almost every day, skipping only one or two days depending on my schedule and the workdays. I train in my area, which luckily offers everything I need, with climbs like San Luca which is my favourite, or Rosina and the hills of BreganzeI train with the light, though; when it gets dark I don't trust it: it's true that these are rarely used roads, but you can never trust the drivers, and besides, after 17 pm there's always traffic, and even leaving the town is always risky.
How do you feel about it? Isolmant Premac Vittoria?
It's a fantastic group, with Giovanni (Pregnancy(Editor's note) I have a fantastic relationship. For me, he's an advisor even before being a sports director. I'll tell you an episode: A few months ago I received this great job offer from the company I now work for, at the same time Giovanni had told me in advance that he wanted me to participate in the Tour of ItalyI didn't know what to do: after talking to him and my family, I plucked up the courage to resign from my previous job. I used my remaining vacation time to race the Giro, which closed on Sundays, and by Monday morning I was already at my new job.
Stories like yours aren't that common in cycling these days. What would happen if you got a job offer from a big team?
It's clear that joining a WorldTour team is everyone's dream. I just try not to think about it; I'm already grateful to Giovanni and the team president. Nadia Baldi, who were close to me especially last year when I finally managed to break free with my first victory. These were tough months, I wanted to quit in 2020 after the difficult lockdown periods, but little by little they convinced me to persist..
Now the results are visible: how do you intend to continue?
If you'd asked me last week, I would have said I'd quit at the end of the season. Now I want to enjoy these weeks and months and then I'll think about the future. In the meantime, there are many races on the Italian open calendar to tackle. Fidanza also proposed me to be part of the team at Tour of Tuscany, but there are several stages and I would have to take some vacation, it's not easy. But it's a bit of a mantra in my life...
