Silvia Persico is coming into a brand new section of her biking profession with a brand new coach and recent ambitions, together with her eyes firmly set on competing on the Olympic Video games.
Persico has put a maintain on cyclocross racing and fewer emphasis on competing for the final classification on the Grand Excursions within the hopes of representing her nation, Italy, at one of many sport’s most important occasions in Paris.
“This yr, I will not do any cyclocross. I am coaching just for the highway season, ” Persico informed Cyclingnews in an interview from her UAE Group ADQ camp in Spain on Friday.
“I made a decision to not race cyclocross as a result of I needed to do one simpler winter. It is not ‘simple’ as a result of I am coaching, however usually, I can deal with the highway.
“I am interested by the Olympics as a result of it is vital simply to take part. I am talking with the [national team] coaches and went to Rome to do some testing. I do know the season is lengthy, however I hope I’ll go; we’ll see.”
Persico informed Cyclingnews that Italy has 4 spots within the highway occasions on the Olympics, the place the time trial shall be held on July 27 and the highway race on August 4. The multi-discipline rider has earned the bronze on the Cyclocross Worlds in Fayetteville and once more within the highway race on the Highway Worlds in Wollongong in 2022. She additionally secured the silver medal within the Gravel Worlds in Vento in 2023.
“I am a part of the nationwide workforce now, and we’re united, like after we race within the blue jersey, we like to point out that we’re a workforce. In fact, I’m a part of this workforce. How we race collectively and symbolize our nation to the world is vital.”
Persico stated she would dial again her ambitions within the Grand Excursions, opting to skip La Vuelta Femenina (April 29-Might 5) and shift her focus to stage wins on the Giro d’Italia Ladies (July 7-14) quite than the final classification. She wish to do the identical on the Tour de France Femmes held after the Olympics from August 12-18, however admitted that it could largely rely on her stage of fatigue at that time.
“If I might change one factor [compared to 2023], it could be to race a greater calendar with extra focus. I can’t race the Vuelta, however I’ll race the Giro for certain, and relying on how I really feel, the Tour. I can’t go for the final classification however as an alternative the levels,” Persico stated.
“I wish to be good on the Giro. I like this race as a result of I am Italian and prefer to race at my residence race. It’s superb to race at residence. I will not go for the final classification however primarily for the levels, and with an identical strategy to the Tour,” Persico stated, who completed fifth on the Tour de France Femmes, seventh and eighth total on the Giro d’Italia Ladies, and ninth total at La Vuelta Femenina.
“The extent of girls’s biking is greater now than a few years in the past. For instance, I had the identical watts this yr as final yr however dropped in place. I might be good on the Giro, however now I am pondering extra towards going for levels. I wish to attempt to win one stage on the Giro and the Tour.”
Persico is beginning this season with a brand new coach, Luca Zenti, which she stated has been a big change from working together with her earlier coach Davide Arzeni.
“This season was up and down, and I believed I might have had a greater season. I have to work extra, and I am attempting to. I’ve a brand new coach, too. Davide coached me since I used to be first yr under-23, and so it is a bit completely different. We labored collectively for eight years, and he knew me properly and knew what I wanted,” Persico stated.
“I have been working with Luca for one month now, and I am attempting to do my finest. Crucial factor is that there’s a good relationship and that it is vital to talk, not only for coaching, however how I really feel in regards to the races.”
Persico stated she hopes to convey her new coaching programme and ambition into the Spring Classics, the place she goals to compete on the Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège earlier than turning her consideration to the summer season racing season and the Olympic Video games.