The track never goes on holiday, we can safely say. In its many events there is always a certain type of competitive spirit, also for what is at stake.From personal prestige to improving your condition, from international ranking points to Olympic or world championship qualifications.
The autumn-winter collection has traditionally always been populated by iconic Six Days (like that of Ghent), which in the last three seasons has been joined by the UCI Track Champions League, wanted to make the races in the velodromes attractive to a wider and less niche audience, as the its director Florian Pavia. The spring-summer campaign instead leaves room for the Nations Cup trials and races in open-air velodromesBut are there any qualitative differences between these various races? And if so, what are they? We asked for answers from Frances Selva, who with her participation in the Champions League has gained further insight into this. Let's hear what the 24-year-old Venetian from Marcon told us, who These days she is busy in Montichiari for an Italian team meeting in view of the next races and 2024, in which he will also try to intensify his road activity.
Francesca, can we now consider you a permanent member of the national team?
I would say no for now, because I still have to calmly compare myself with Marco (Villa, the track manager, ed.). But he knows that I am available for training sessions. who have always been there every week. And he also knows that if he needs me, he can count on me. The call-ups to the Nations Cup for Cali in 2022 and for Cairo last March These were the opportunities to enter the blue circle and I want to try to invest more time in them.
Are you aiming to earn a spot in the next Olympics?
Who wouldn't like to go there? But let's not exaggerate (smiles, ed.). I didn't have any expectations or false hopes. I know perfectly well that there's already a group of athletes going to Paris, and that's right. We'll see after the Olympics if new opportunities can open up.I definitely know that I would like to train team pursuit and improve my other skills. This is why I will try to run a bit more on the road always depending on the track.Torelli, my team, has received another invitation to race the RideLondon, and they'd like to have me race it in 2024. I'm fascinated by that race, but I'll have to prepare well.
What do you mean by “track-dependent”?
I've never been keen on road racing, but I re-evaluated it after the races I did between the end of July and SeptemberIn Poland I finished a small stage race and I would never have said it. I was pleasantly surprised because I wasn't used to that kind of effort.I realized that on the road I can improve my endurance on the track, since I do endurance disciplines. Even if it's just a few seconds, on the track I always need a moment to catch my breath and sometimes that's what you need to make the difference or finish the race betterEven the three events I did in Belgium were similar to the effort I usually make on the track. By doing so, I therefore hope to be able to present myself better prepared for the next velodrome races.
The Champions League just concluded in London. What's next for you?
Meanwhile, towards the end of November, I took part in the “4 Days of Geneva” also adding a few days of recovery. Next week I'm back in Switzerland for the Track Cycling Challenge in Grenchen, then I'll go to Copenhagen for the end of year races (28 and 29 December, where he will also be present Viviani, editor's note). In January I will be in Germany for the Six Days of Bremen and Berlin, although I will actually run my disciplines for only one and three days respectively.
Considering the experiences you've gained in various track events, are there any differences between them?
Absolutely, but they need to be put into context. I've run many Class 1 and Class 2 races, I've competed in the Nations Cup, and recently the Champions League. Three different events in terms of the way they run and where there are riders with different experiences and objectivesThe biggest differences I noticed were on the technical level.
Can you explain them to us?
I'll start with the Champions League, since it was new to me. Even though Madison, my main specialty, wasn't there, I have to say that on a mental level it's quite simple, as is the interpretation. However, the quality of the participants is very high.You travel in crazy gears and go flat out for those 10/15 minutes. If you have to stay hooked, good for you. Paradoxically, by going so fast, you almost don't have to worry about tactics or other people's mistakes.. Things that happen in other competitions instead.
Go on.
At the Nations Cup I have always found the level to be uneven.This also depends on the time of year. Often, the trials coincide with road racing, so the quality can vary greatly. In both Cali and Cairo, I remember that in the Madison race there were three or four strong couples, or at least those who knew how to race, including us Italians. The others, however, were dangerous and it was clear that they were not very well matched.. In fact, the greatest difficulty was to constantly pay attention to the maneuvers of the less experienced girls. Many of them were doing the gear change in the opposite way to the traditional one and this can affect the management of the race.
In what way?
If you don't start strong or in front, you risk being stuck in traffic for too long. To get out of the rear or to avoid falls, a lot of psychophysical energy is consumedFor example, in Cairo we always raced with a knife between our teeth. There were many of us paired up, and even qualifying for the Madison had been difficult. Personally, I always suffer a lot from a messy Madison and, like me, I think other track purists too.
What level is there in class 1 and class 2 races?
Speaking of purists, there you can find precisely those athletes who are at ease on the track and who love that type of cyclingThey're not easy races because many riders come to earn ranking points. The standard is generally medium-high, but then there are always those stars who raise it even higher. There are also differences between outdoor and indoor races. Not just because of the weather, but also because of the wooden or asphalt surfaces. They seem like two completely different worlds. So, despite everything, we're still going strong here, too. It becomes easier to run because every athlete knows what to do and how to run.
