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.
"I won't go to the Tour de France because it's the day after the Olympic Games, and for the track riders, it's not a good moment. We will see for the Giro if it's good to prepare for the Olympic Games," she said.
"This year, my big goal is the Olympic Games, and so everything is revolving around this goal."
She completes a highly competitive Italian National team for the Team Pursuit that includes Elisa Balsamo, Martina Fidanza, Vittoria Guazzini, Chiara Consonni and Martina Alzini, who train regularly together at the Velodromo di Montichiari.
"There will be a time when we need to decide which four will be the best for the Olympic Games. For the moment, we have six and have not made the selection yet," Paternoster said.
The Italian team finished seventh in Team Pursuit at the Olympic Games in Rio 2016 and fourth at the Tokyo 2021. At the World Championships, they won the gold in 2022, silver in 2021, and bronze in 2018. They recently won the European Championships.
"It's important to ride together, know each other, 100% to know what each rider can do, and to trust each other," Paternoster said of her Italian teammates. "We are always one for all and all for one."
