Four top-ten finishes, racing among the elite, and the best young rider jersey at the Valenciana. Silvia Zanardi's 2022 had already started off convincingly, but it was clear that the best was yet to come. And indeed, shortly after the victory on the first day of the Ponente in Rosa Trophy, the U23 European champion (in the opening photo Ossola) talks about herself in a serious and amused way.
«We ran well – he said after the victory – and we managed to achieve an excellent team resultIn the sprint, Valentina Basilico was excellent: she led me in the last 500 meters and then I managed to convert it into victory. Tomorrow (today, ed.) we'll defend the jerseys and, of course, we try to do well again».
It's all very well, the first victory deserves a toast, but to start this conversation, we decided to start with a joke that will certainly make you turn up your nose...
You're incredibly fast, as you've just seen. So how did you manage to lose the Montignoso sprint to Sofia Bertizzolo?
On paper I'm faster (smiles, ed.), but I didn't believe in myself much and in doubt of finding the starting point, I didn't leave at allI didn't even do the sprint. Walter (Zini, his sports director, ed.) tried to talk to me about it to get to the bottom of it and understand why. This also helps us grow.
How are you?
Well, a little better than last year, we are preparing wellThese first races are useful for getting into shape. That's why I'm doing these days in Liguria, then Cittiglio, and then we'll head north.
Condition to find, but you're doing pretty well, aren't you?
At the beginning I didn't think I could keep up with the pace of the otherse. At the Valenciana, I finished ahead of the young athletes, and I'm satisfied. I finished in the top 10, and I didn't think I was as good as the others. I struggled more at Strade Bianche.
Why?
I realized that the level is very high, but compared to last year I felt more mentally confidentI took better positions, despite the strong wind. These are races you have to know well and require a lot of attention. If I think about it with a cool head, It seems impossible to me that I'm capable of extricating myself from the middle of it. But then, as I run, everything happens automatically..
Does winning a European Championship make you a particular subject of scrutiny?
I actually think I go unnoticed. Walter always tells me to throw myself into every sprint to make myself seen and to be shown respect.Be less polite and meaner so that others will notice me. I'll definitely try. This season must be a springboard, also because it is the last one as an under 23.
Word in the group is that the Movistar jersey is already ready for you.
It's too early to talk about it, Walter will help me when the right time comes.
Is it true that you gave up a place in the Fiamme Azzurre?
I did it recently. When they first contacted me, I stayed in touch and was interested. I was supposed to go in with Chiara Consonni, but in the end I decided not to.My goal is to join a WorldTour team, and if there really is a change in the rules, being in the Fiamme Azzurre could be a problem. Joining would have been a goal when I was 17, maybe I would have accepted then. Now I want to play my cards in the professional world.
How do you think things are going in the national team with Paolo Sangalli?
We see it at every race, you can't make call-ups simply by looking at the arrival ordersYou have to evaluate whether someone is working hard, whether they're being smart. We always find him on the climbs, he can see for himself by looking us in the face. We talk often, it seems to me that it is working well.
