Multiple World Champion Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling) has made a very successful start to the new season with three stage wins and the overall ranking in the Mitchelton Bay Cycling Series in Geelong, Australia. The 30 year old from Piacenza, Italy, made history as the first non-Australian winner of the Bay Crits event.
“It was super. I feel really good about this. I always like to do something new and special!!” Bronzini enthused.“ “I’m really happy to be the first European, non-Australian girl to win the Crits. I’m really happy for that, and it’s exciting to go into the race’s history. I’m really happy for the team too. We won the yellow and the green as well, so we’re pretty happy about it! We tried the lead out for me for this year’s races so the race was very important for us. I have to admit that I am surprised it worked out so well.”
The former World Champion from the Geelong championships of 2010, who has spent a few weeks in Australia, was surprised by her early season form.
“It’s my first experience racing at this time of year, but maybe Geelong brings me luck,” Bronzini laughed. “I have some good memories of Geelong, so I’m happy to have won again in this area. My basic level was good but I didn’t really know how that would work out in these fast races against the Australian riders who have raced all summer long to be in shape for their National Championships.
“Maybe the two weeks I spent in Sydney for training before Bay Crits was good for me. Overall it was good training for me for the upcoming races and my next targets in Qatar and the Track World Championships in Cali, Colombia.”
After Australia Bronzini had a few days of rest at home before a training camp with the Italian National Team in Benicassim, Spain to fine tune her form for the Ladies Tour of Qatar starting Tuesday the 4th of February. In Qatar the former two-time road World Champion hopes to use her sprinting form from Australia to take her fourth stage victory in the desert race. La Bronzini took her three previous stage wins in 2009 and 2010, in which she also finished second overall. With time bonuses available at stage finishes and intermediate sprints, the Italian hopes to finish strongly again this time.
“I don’t think it will be like my last race in Australia because here it is another kind of race,” Bronzini said. “In the last month I’ve worked hard in my preparation for the Track Worlds so I have had good training and hope to feel good in the race.
“Overall it will be the first long road race of the season, with the best riders in the peloton too, so it will be hard to try to be perfect on the first day. Normally in a stage race I feel better from day to day, so tomorrow will be hard for me, but I will try to be at the front.”
“I will try to be present at the focus point of the stage, and I know I will have my teammates around me,” Bronzini added.
“For sure the best girls will be the Australians, and those that have been in the warm weather until now.”
In her mission to get a stage win Bronzini will be supported by Australian Criterium Championship Silver Medallist Peta Mullens, German Charlotte Becker, Swedish Champion Emilia Fahlin, Italian Beatrice Bartelloni and Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling team manager – and 2011 Qatar stage winner – Rochelle Gilmore, who steps in to replace Linda Villumsen.
After Qatar, Bronzini is returning to the track to prepare for the Track World Championships in Cali, Colombia (26 February – 2 March) in which she hopes to take home a medal in the Points Race or Scratch.
After the Worlds her focus is back on the road.
“I will try to win more races than last season. It will be dream.”, says Bronzini. “It will be hard to succeed but nothing is impossible. This year I really want to win the World Cup in China after being second last year; that will be one of my goals next to the usual races.
“I am feeling really good with my team and team mates and for me they are also friends,” she added. “That is really important to win as many bike races as possible: to have the full support of your team.”
