There are 10 hours difference between Italy and Australia, and we can't say we don't notice when we call Eleonora Ciabocco. In fact, it's already a first excuse to start talking about the differences in her location. In her just-concluded day, night for us in Italy, she raced the brand new Surf Coast Classic where she narrowly missed the top 20 but above all worked hard for Rachele Barbieri, confirming her incredible form. For Eleonora, there could have been no better way to start her third season with Team Picnic PostNl than by conquering the white jersey of the Tour Down Under, her first major result as a professional.

"I feel really good and I'm extremely happy about the achievement. Honestly, the white jersey wasn't initially a goal. The team told me to try to give my best, and so I put myself out there. The Willunga Hill stage was crucial - it was brutally hot, and they were going full throttle from the first climb. The group broke apart. The climbs alternated with deadly flat sections with strong crosswinds. Fortunately, I had teammates who helped me get back and play my cards. The white jersey in this first stage race is really special, it's my first concrete milestone since becoming a professional," Eleonora explains, having learned from her previous Australian experience to manage herself and aim for increasingly bigger goals.

We've known the Marche cyclist for several years, already a winner of the TuttoBICI Oscar as a beginner, then as a junior, and in 2022 as a Junior. We've seen her grow, improve, and accept the challenge with Team PicNic Postnl, with whom she has signed until 2028. "I'm increasingly convinced I'm in the right team to grow. They're not putting too much pressure on me, but gradually I'm gaining experience and carving out my space. When I arrived in 2023, I spoke very little English, and Francesca Barale was fundamental. We already knew each other very well, and I can say I chose this team partly because of her. She's an incredible athlete, and if it were up to us, we'd only race together," Eleonora continues, not missing the chance to speak warmly about Francesca, a rival since junior categories, but above all a friend and special teammate.

They've already raced two Giri d'Italia together, but the goal is to grow and improve further. "I'm trying to do a 360-degree job. I'm still young, and it's necessary to improve in all aspects. The team always asks me if I aim to become a classics or stage race rider, but honestly, I don't know yet. I thought I was suited to grand tours, but after seventh place last year at the Brabant Arrow, I got the classics bug. There's still a lot of work to do, and I'm trying to do it without neglecting any element. I want to become complete. The team is giving me confidence, and I can't let them down. Until last year, they thought I was mute. Now I've improved my English, I can communicate, make myself understood, and that really helps a lot during the race."

What strikes most about Eleonora is her clear-eyed view of what she needs to do to improve. In these first years of professionalism, she has worked hard, learning to manage not just her energy, but especially to believe in herself. "Many things have changed in these years. By gaining experience, I've realized what's truly important. I've always believed little in myself. I always suffered from pre-race nerves, had a lot of nervousness and pressure. Now I've learned to manage it thanks to the team that believed in me when I didn't. These days I've thought a lot about Sara Piffer and Simone Roganti. They had a dream they couldn't complete. They would pay gold to be in my position and race. I can't waste this opportunity. I promised myself I must stop worrying about useless things. I must live the race at my best, I must believe in what I can do."

Eleonora's white jersey is a strong and clear signal, demonstrating that the Marche cyclist is ready to take on the responsibilities of an entire team. In Australia, they asked her to be the race director, and she responded present without hesitation and always with her head held high. However, this is just the beginning. The season has just started, and there are many races to prove herself - Italian calendar races, classics, and maybe a return to the Giro. Eleonora is growing quickly and is more determined than ever, especially because she knows that by year's end she might aim for something big. "I would like to wear the blue jersey again. I've been absent from the national team for a long time and hope I'll be given this opportunity. This year, for the first time, there will be a race reserved for under-23s, and being at the start would be wonderful... and if my friend Francesca Barale is by my side in Rwanda, the dream would be complete."