Nathalie Novembrini has been a contributor to VeloVoices this year, with a feature on Italian women’s cycling and a photo-essay at this year’s Il Lombardia. When she isn’t wielding a camera, she is studying for a Masters in Sports Psychology. Her favourite cyclists are Tom Boonen and Giovanni Visconti. Here is her wish list for 2013:
1. I can tell people that I’m a cycling fan, without hearing their typical reaction: “It’s just a bunch of doped guys, how could you like this sport?” You’re right, I should probably watch football instead …
Wish 2: Let’s bring back the maglia nera!
2. Giro d’Italia’s jerseys change back to their original colours! The mountain classification leader wears the green jersey and the cyclamen jersey is cyclamen, not red. Oh, and welcome back the maglia nera! Will riders hide in barns just to win it, as it’s told in old cycling tales?
3. Orica-GreenEDGE‘s Call Me Maybe is nominated at the MTV Video Music Awards. [And that other teams follow suit!- Kitty]
Wish 4: Tom getting a massage after his San Remo win?
4. Tom and his magnificent Boonens are on the first step of the podium in San Remo, with Marcel Kittel in second place. Third place doesn’t matter, but if he’s blonde and good-looking he won’t ruin the scene!
5. I sometimes manage to get out on my bike instead of always pretending to have something important to do. It’s not that I’m lazy but … there are just so many mountains around me!
6. Female cycling finally gets the respect it deserves. They are just as great athletes as their male counterparts, but they need more opportunity to show it to the world.
Wish 7: Go on guys, try your luck, please!
7. McQuaid, Verbruggen and, why not, Di Rocco (FCI President and UCI vice-president) win the lottery and move to the Seychelles (or Timbuktu or wherever), leaving sports in the hands of those who really love it.
8. Giovanni Visconti is not so low in spirit as he usually is when something goes wrong in a race and he can race in the rain, without panicking at every raindrop.
9. I finish the drawing of Boonen I promised a friend … a long time ago!
10. It’s a wonderful year for cycling and every race is a great show, for both riders and supporters.
Our final wish list comes from Cofidis rider, Tristan Valentin
Tristan Valentin is a professional cyclist with Cofidis who has had an injury-and-illness-marred 2012, yet it was his best year as he became a father for the first time. When he’s not obeying little Mila’s every command, he is training with renewed vigour and keeping a watchful eye on some of the younger riders, like teammate Rudy Mollard. Here are Tristan’s ten wishes:
1. Acknowledge what cycling does against doping.
2. Recognise the difficulty of the sport.
3. Create a cyclist moto club. [MotoCycloClub, I like it – Sheree.]
4. 2013 to be the best season ever for me!
5. Re-sign a good contract (of course).
6. Women’s cycling gets bigger and better – they deserve it as much as the men’s peloton.
7. Win a race and have my daughter in my arms on the podium.
8. See many new sponsors investing in cycling and in teams.
9. Get a super cool city bike with big fat tyres – moto style!
10. Most of all, keep being happy.
10 wishes for 2013
