At the Giro d'Italia Women's cycling we saw her a little different than usual and in a few hours she will put the number back on her back after a month. At midday today the Tour de France Women's cycling where Erica Magnaldi will try to put into practice a new way of approaching the competitions (opening with the new shirt).
The thirty-one year old doctor of the UAE ADQ Team She has always competed in the Grande Boucle, improving her ranking, and this time she wants to do the same. Magnaldi is not inexperienced, she knows it won't be easy, but the version seen in July on Italian roads does not place limits on good performanceHere's what he told us just before the Tour.
How was the approach?
Everything went well. After Giro Women's cycling I spent three weeks at high altitude in Tignes with the teammates with whom I will do the Tour (bertizzolo, swinkels, Harvey and Holden, ed.) and we had a really productive training camp. Then I spent a few days at home in Cuneo where I continued training, despite the great heat.
Even the same Giro Women's cycling was it part of the preparation?
Let's say yes. At the beginning of the season we had established that the Tour would be a more concrete objective to pursue, but then we had to see how the Giro went. In fact, we had to revise our plans on the fly. After finishing fifth last year, I realized that I was not yet in the condition to treat the generalAt that point I preferred to concentrate on the stages that were most suitable for me, alternating with Perch. And in the end I'm happy because I found a way to run more aggressively, quite different from my classic way.
In the Chieti district you were a protagonist, finishing with a nice third place that perhaps deserved something more.
That was a beautiful day, and I felt very good. Yes, maybe I have a little regret, but thinking about it I'm satisfiedIn the final I understood that we couldn't look at each other too much or we would have been caught. So on the last climb I always led with a high pace. Then on the finishing avenue the freshness and the fast characteristics of Lippert who won. But I said it right away, it's better to arrive third than eleventh after having been in the breakaway all day as had happened two days ago first in Urbino. I didn't want it to happen again.
What did you learn from that day?
I'm definitely capable of running differently. I've become more aware of many aspects. For example, I know how to see the race and find the right breakaway.I must confess that I really enjoyed running ahead to compete for the stage. It's true that it's demanding, but it depends on how you approach it. I realized that I have to try to risk something more than usual.
So at the Tour, stages or classification?
If I have to give a straight answer, I'd say ranking. The goal is to get into the top ten (Eighteenth in 2022, thirteenth and first Italian last year, ed.). However, I've been very honest with the team. Let's see what I can reasonably do. Taking care of the general limits you a lot, but I would like to find the right compromise to run. Aim for the stages without losing sight of the ranking.
How close do you feel to this solution today?
Realistically I know that I can't keep up with Vollering or Longo Borghini on the climb even if he won't be there, but I realized that now I can anticipate the decisive moments in the hardest or longest stages. Naturally it then depends on the condition of each of us. Now there are more and more girls who can compete for a top ten. To make you understand, at Giro Women's cycling on the first pass over the Blockhaus, which we did well, there were still twenty-five of us.
Who could be your most direct rivals in the rankings?
Apart from Vollering who is the favourite, I think many of us are on the same level, as I said before. So, just to name a few, the first ones that come to mind are Unknown, Music and LabousYou will see that they will be there in front, but the list is certainly longer.
How do you rate the track of the Tour Femmes?
It's not as simple as some might think. It's a a path that presents many obstacles not to underestimate. We're leaving from Rotterdam and the wind that can be found at those latitudes isn't really up my alley.The Dutch and Belgian stages are always fraught with pitfalls. Even during those, you mustn't lose contact.
Has Erica Magnaldi already put a circle on some stages?
Looking at the route, I have to say that I really like the seventh stage, the one that reaches Le Grand-Bornard. It's a stage of almost 170 kilometers without any flat sections. which comes after many days of hard work. But the third day, with the Liège stage, is also particularly exciting, even if it's perhaps still early. And the sixth stage is also very suited to my characteristics. Let's say that I could play my cards more towards the end of the Tour, but it's obvious that if an opportunity arose before then I certainly wouldn't back down..
Tactically, what kind of Tour could we see?
Both the Giro Women's cycling that the Olympics can influence the economy of the competition. In reality, both were compatible, but the Paris races may have left some mental rather than physical residue on the athletes who participatedWe'll see how it goes, but we'll definitely have to be very careful.
