Letizia Paternoster will bring her track legs and winning sprint to a full range of Spring Classics beginning at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad this Saturday.
Racing for Liv AlUla Jayco, the Italian aims to improve her performances across the challenging one-day races and aid her team in a few victories but says her main goal will take place later in the year at the Olympic Games.
“The Spring Classis are the races that I like, and our coach and director felt the same. I have a good chance to improve and to have good results. I can be a good teammate for my team, as well. Usually, I’m good on the short, explosive climbs, so they are good races for me,” Paternoster told Cyclingnews.
She has already begun her season at the UAE Tour but is looking forward to Opening Weekend and the kick off to her spring racing campaign.
She has had success during this block in previous seasons, finishing third at Gent-Wevelgem in 2019, and last year she was sixth at Omloop van het Hageland, ninth at Ronde van Drenthe, 10th at Nokere Koerse and Scheldeprijs.
“I’ve enjoyed the spring races with this team; thanks to our DS and staff in the team, I improved by the end of the year. I’m happy about this work. I can take more steps this year and can’t wait to start again. I think this racing on the road helps a lot with my goals for the Olympic Games on the track, so I’m happy to start at the Classics,” Paternoster said.
Paternoster began racing professionally six years ago with Astana before moving to Trek-Segafredo for four seasons. She joined Liv AlUla Jayco, signing a deal that would guarantee her place on the team through to the end of the 2024 Olympic year.
The team is stacked with powerful sprinters, including Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Alex Manly, alongside Paternoster, each bringing their own strengths to the lead-outs and the sprints.
“We start with one goal, and when there is me, Ruby, and Alex, it’s better for the team and me because we have more choices. If we work together for one goal and one person, we can be the strongest,” she said.
Paternoster’s schedule is almost set with a block at the Spring Classics, a possible start at the Giro d’Italia, but she admitted that the season largely revolves around her goals for the Team Pursuit and Omnium at the Olympics Games in Paris. She will not participate in the Tour de France Femmes after the Games.
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