The classic season is just around the corner, and in the peloton, there are those like Letizia Borghesi who can't wait to throw herself into the northern hell. The Trentino athlete from EF Oatly Cannondale was also a protagonist during the winter cyclocross season in Italy and Belgium, but now the road awaits her, and her goal is to quickly reach good form. Her dreams and ambitions are numerous, the need to claim her space and finally leave her mark again. Letizia loves tough races and adverse weather, but most of all, she no longer wants to hide.

"I had an excellent winter, I chose to race some cyclocross events that allowed me to put some intensity in my legs. After the Italian championships, I went directly to a team training camp. I had good form, but unfortunately, I caught the flu, and things didn't go as I wanted. In Spain, I made myself available to the team. In Mallorca, Lotta Henttala finalized our work with a beautiful victory and gave great morale to everyone, pushing us to give even more. Unfortunately, when I returned home, I was forced to stay away from the bike for about ten days. It was a tough blow because I had to miss the UAE Tour and then find my form again quickly. Fortunately, I'm well, I've resumed training, and I hope to return to the values of January, which were truly good," Letizia explains. She was forced to recover quickly but didn't fail to support the team. Despite the forced stop, at her comeback race in Spain a few days ago, she carved out her space, demonstrating that she has found the right pedaling rhythm. The data shows a sixth-place finish after an exhausting day spent working for her teammate Henttala, who eventually broke away in the finale - an important top ten that now projects her towards her favorite races.

During the winter, Letizia chose to return to her first love. We saw her elbow her way through cyclocross races and literally put herself to the test in both the Italian and European landscapes. The Trentino rider doesn't beat around the bush and clearly tells us it was also a matter of heart. She had long desired to pick up her passion again, thus managing to have fun while also building a solid mental and physical preparation. "Cyclocross has always been a huge passion of mine. It has always helped me prepare during the winter because it teaches you how to handle the bike, not to be afraid. It's also a mental training. I love mud, when there's hard work to be done, I enjoy it. You get used to intensity and maintaining effort above the threshold, something that helps a lot, especially at the start of the season. In recent years, I had made some choices and had somewhat sacrificed cyclocross. I admit I really missed it. I wanted to return and experience the race adrenaline again, especially the emotion of racing in Belgium, where this sport is almost a religion. There are so many passionate fans; it's all beautiful," Letizia continues. Besides her third place in the national championships, she managed to achieve excellent results like seventh place in the night race in Diegem or fourth place in Luxembourg. Beyond the ranking data, spending the winter this way was crucial to finding herself and somehow entering the atmosphere of those northern races that the Trentino rider not only loves but is also well-suited for.

A few years ago, at the beginning of her EF Education Oatly adventure, she had told us about her dream of racing Paris-Roubaix, a mythical, magical race that she has since raced three times and even achieved a nice thirteenth place in 2024. The last edition of the race of stones didn't start well for Letizia, with a chain slip in the first kilometers that put her out of contention, forcing her to chase. She raced full-throttle to finish among the best, just a step away from the podium. The stone classic is her major seasonal objective, and she hopes to make her mark by achieving an excellent result. "Roubaix is a crazy race, it's destructive, but beautiful, and I love it precisely for this reason. It puts riders to the test and brings out the true cyclists; it's impossible to hide. It's a race I love. There's never a moment to catch your breath; you experience it full-on. Last year, I was very close to the top ten. On one hand, I was disappointed, but on the other, it gave me incredible motivation. I absolutely want to improve. The northern classics are the races that best suit my characteristics. I like hard and selective races and I do well in repeated efforts. But most of all, I love that special atmosphere. Racing on pavé is something unique, it's difficult to describe. You must know how to handle the bike. There's suffering and passion; it's like another world." For Letizia, the love for the north is visceral, and she gets emotional just thinking about returning to fight among the stones. On those climbs, cycling history was written, and every time she returns, she feels incredibly alive.

Saturday, things get serious. The Omloop Nieuwsblad will kick off what cycling fans consider the most beautiful season of the year. Letizia arrives with growing form and a new spirit, strengthened by her winter cross experience. Since late 2024, she has worked extensively on her threshold to try to resist more on climbs and then be able to contest victories in smaller sprints. There's also a desire to improve her time trial skills, but there's still time for that. After Omloop, we'll see the Trentino rider at Strade Bianche, Milan-Sanremo, Gent-Wevelgem, Tour of Flanders, and Amstel Gold Race, an intense campaign to continue pursuing her dreams. "According to my plans, I should be at the start of the Giro, but I hope to be selected by the team for the Tour as well," Letizia reveals just before saying goodbye. "This year, the Grand Boucle starts from Brittany, a region that fascinates me because the roads are narrow and there are some steep sections. Let's say it reminds me a lot of the Belgian classics, and it would be nice to immerse myself in the northern spirit even in August and play my chances." Once again, it's all because of her visceral love for the north. How can one argue with that?