Gioele Bertolini , a professional mountain biker and cyclocross rider born in 1995, is one of the most promising Italian athletes in his disciplines, as well as one of our leading cyclists, with whom we are collaborating on a new project, which is still top secret for now (don't worry, you'll know more soon!).
Gioele recently suffered a racing injury , but despite this he was not discouraged: used, like us at NRC, to facing challenges with our heads held high, after just a few weeks he was completely recovered and started training at full speed again. He spoke to us about this and much more in an exclusive interview .
Hi Gioele, how did it go with the injury?
It happened during an international race in Belgium. Before the start it started raining and there was a lot of mud. I found myself in this short section of very steep descent where I stuck to the brakes, but there was nothing I could do: I gained speed and ended up outside a curve, against some boards. The fall itself wasn't terrible, but I broke quite a few bones: collarbone, shoulder blade, three ribs, plus some microfractures in one hand.
But you recovered quickly…
Yes, I'm fine. The most traumatic moment was the first month, not so much because of the pain - I almost didn't have any - but because I had to stay still a lot to let my shoulder blade heal well.
Gioele Bertolini (photo: @jonnymoledesign)
How long did you stop training?
I'm a stubborn type, so I got back on the roller after a while. In total I was off for ten to fifteen days, but I wasn't in a hurry to get back to full speed.
Under normal conditions, how do you train on a daily basis?
I train day by day, evaluating how my body has absorbed the load of the previous day. I usually train six days out of seven, on average two and a half hours a day. Half the week I do mountain biking and cyclocross, the other half road cycling to loosen up the load a bit. There aren't many days just of mountain biking, because they are very demanding on a physical level.
How do you prepare before a race?
If they are competitions far from home, the preparation changes a lot, because you only bring your mountain bike. And the load also changes: tiring yourself too much before the race itself makes no sense. At that point, you do shorter, but specific training sessions.
How did cycling become your profession?
It all started as a game. My mother never liked soccer, so when I was a child she made me try other sports. With cycling it was love at first sight. At six and a half years old I took part in my town's race and from there I never stopped. Then, at twelve years old, I made my debut in cyclocross.
Gioele's Favorites
I really like the P-RIDE. I love the look, but I also appreciate that they have a large lens to protect your eyes during racing and that they allow you to have a very wide vision.
What is your favorite or most fond of competition?
In cyclocross I would say Valkenburg, in Holland, because I won the first World Cup race twice in a row and achieved my best placing in an international competition, which was sixth place in a World Championship.
What is your favorite moment of a race?
During the race, when you can think and understand how you can make a difference compared to your opponent.
What other sports do you practice besides cycling?
I like horse riding, I have a horse at home. And then the trial bike.
Do you think these alternative sports help you in cycling?
I am convinced that all sports can give you something extra that can help you. What that is, must be evaluated and understood case by case. But the more sports you practice, the more complete you are in your preparation.
What do you expect from your sunglasses during a race?
Sunglasses are very important, I never go without them. They protect you from the sun, but also from rocks, branches or flies: in mountain biking and cyclocross you face rough terrain and you can find everything. In races with a lot of mud I prefer glasses with larger lenses, because they protect you better.
Do you have a trick or tip on how to handle your goggles in competition, given that in your disciplines they have to deal with various stresses, such as mud, dust and impacts?
In muddy races, one thing I do is carry two pairs of goggles, so when I get to the pits I throw one pair and put the other pair on to clean them. If the conditions are extreme, you can do this every lap.
Gioele Bertolini (photo: @jonnymoledesign)