Cycling Impressions Interviews: Elena Pirrone

We had the pleasure to interview a World and European Champion: Elena Pirrone.
The talented girl from Bolzano, Italy, is currently riding for Astana Womens Team in the UCI Women's World Tour.
Here is what she told us at the start of 2019 cycling season.

Hi Elena and thank you, I'am excited and a bit nervous. I've never interviewed a World Champion before! I'll try to do my best.
Where does your love for cycling come from?
Hi! It is a pleasure for me too. My passion for cycling comes from my parents.
They are both former riders. When I was younger I loved following my dad at his races to cheer him.

This is nice! When did you jump on a bike for the first time and who put you on it?
To be honest, I can't remember how old I was, probably I was 3 but I'am not sure.
What I remember is that I had a red tricycle which I really loved and with which I always went around.

Let's move to your first races. Did you start with road cycling or cyclocross and which is your favorite?
I don't like cyclocross. When I was sixteen I did a couple of races just for fun but I prefer road cycling.
Cyclocross is too muddy and cold for me! I like watching it on TV.

Ahaha, I see your point. You have already won a World title and a European title, which is something fantastic, but what is your favorite race?
I love hard races in general.
I like Strade Bianche and the Ronde Van Vlaanderen but, unfortunately, I haven't had the occasion to race them yet.

Last question and thank you again for your time Elena. What do you want to say to boys and girls that would like to try to be pro riders?
All I can say is to always follow your dreams and never give up, because if you really want something it will come true.

Thank you very much Elena and good luck! Cycling Impressions will always be a fan of you!
Thank you!

Strade Bianche 2018

The title does not need any addition.
The 2018 edition of this race is already a piece of Cycling History.
First of all, I have to admit that Belgian riders promptly answered to my last post, Proficiat!!
Secondly, I choose this picture because I think that each of this riders deserves a special mention.
Benoot took the first victory of his career. The fact is that winning the 2018 edition of Strade Bianche is worth a career.
Nevertheless, what impressed me has been the way he won the race. He just never stop attacking, choosing a spectacular sector to launch his final attack.
He rode like a champion in a legendary edition of this race.
In one day and with his first victory, he is already part of the cycling history. The hero of the mud.
Bardet proved the world that he is not just one of the many French riders focused just on the Tour de France and pushed by the French cycling environment just to reach this goal.
He proved the world and most of all his nation that he is a  true rider and a tough one.
Van Aert seemed arrived straight outta the good old days of cycling, without radio and without so many team tactics. He attacked all the time during the race and fainted on the finish line. Welcome to road cycling Wout!
Every single rider that finished the race would deserve a special mention but I only write emotional impressions, so, in conclusion, I think that every single rider that finished the 2018 Strade Bianche could add a kind of victory on his personal Palmarès.

Strade Bianche 2017

WHAT-A-RACE

This edition of Strade Bianche has been amazing! The rain made the race harder and just the true men survived 'till the end!

Kwiatkowski and Team Sky will remember for a long long time this victory, one of the best of his great career.

Nevertheless, two important facts emerge from this hard race characterized by this hard weather conditions:

1) It is important to underline that fighting for the victory there were just great World Tour Teams, none of the new teams were fighting for the victory in the end.

2) We can say the same about the riders, in this case it is partially different because a lot of good riders, among them the World Champion, weren't fighting in the final but there wasn't any Carneade.

The riders fighting for the final victory were all good riders representing solid World Tour Teams.

In a race like the one we assisted today there was no space for naive teams or riders, so congratulations to Team Sky and Kwiatowski, confirming themselves even in the hardest racing condition.