Letizia Paternoster will carry her observe legs and successful dash to a full vary of Spring Classics starting at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad this Saturday.
Racing for Liv AlUla Jayco, the Italian goals to enhance her performances throughout the difficult one-day races and assist her staff in a couple of victories however says her important purpose will happen later within the yr on the Olympic Games.
“The Spring Classis are the races that I like, and our coach and director felt the identical. I’ve a great probability to enhance and to have good outcomes. I generally is a good teammate for my staff, as properly. Usually, I’m good on the quick, explosive climbs, so they’re good races for me,” Paternoster instructed Cyclingnews.
She has already begun her season on the UAE Tour however is wanting ahead to Opening Weekend and the kick off to her spring racing marketing campaign.
She has had success throughout this block in earlier seasons, ending third at Gent-Wevelgem in 2019, and final yr she was sixth at Omloop van het Hageland, ninth at Ronde van Drenthe, tenth at Nokere Koerse and Scheldeprijs.
“I’ve loved the spring races with this staff; due to our DS and workers within the staff, I improved by the top of the yr. I’m completely satisfied about this work. I can take extra steps this yr and may’t wait to start out once more. I believe this racing on the street helps lots with my targets for the Olympic Games on the observe, so I’m completely satisfied to start out on the Classics,” Paternoster mentioned.
Paternoster started racing professionally six years in the past with Astana earlier than shifting to Trek-Segafredo for 4 seasons. She joined Liv AlUla Jayco, signing a deal that may assure her place on the staff by to the top of the 2024 Olympic yr.
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The staff is stacked with highly effective sprinters, together with Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Alex Manly, alongside Paternoster, every bringing their very own strengths to the lead-outs and the sprints.
“We begin with one purpose, and when there may be me, Ruby, and Alex, it is higher for the staff and me as a result of now we have extra decisions. If we work collectively for one purpose and one particular person, we may be the strongest,” she mentioned.
Paternoster’s schedule is sort of set with a block on the Spring Classics, a attainable begin on the Giro d’Italia, however she admitted that the season largely revolves round her targets for the Team Pursuit and Omnium on the Olympics Games in Paris. She won’t take part within the Tour de France Femmes after the Games.
“I will not go to the Tour de France as a result of it is the day after the Olympic Games, and for the observe riders, it is not a great second. We will see for the Giro if it is good to organize for the Olympic Games,” she mentioned.
“This yr, my large purpose is the Olympic Games, and so every part is revolving round this purpose.”
She completes a extremely aggressive Italian National staff for the Team Pursuit that features Elisa Balsamo, Martina Fidanza, Vittoria Guazzini, Chiara Consonni and Martina Alzini, who practice often collectively on the Velodromo di Montichiari.
“There will likely be a time when we have to resolve which 4 would be the greatest for the Olympic Games. For the second, now we have six and haven’t made the choice but,” Paternoster mentioned.
The Italian staff completed seventh in Team Pursuit on the Olympic Games in Rio 2016 and fourth on the Tokyo 2021. At the World Championships, they gained the gold in 2022, silver in 2021, and bronze in 2018. They not too long ago gained the European Championships.
“It’s necessary to journey collectively, know one another, 100% to know what every rider can do, and to belief one another,” Paternoster mentioned of her Italian teammates. “We are all the time one for all and all for one.”