DENIA (Spain) – Even when she is sitting in an armchair, Gaia Realini manages not to be feisty. The Abruzzo region is a volcano, a river in flood and, after the bad year that has just ended, this is already pleasant news. Gaia jokes, smiles but above all she tells stories. In one of the corners of the luxurious hotel where the Lidl-Trek he chose to do the retreat in December, Realini says.
His 2025 cycling season was much tougher than expected, as we were saying. A setback in her rapid growth, she proposed herself as one of the strongest climbers ever. Then the elbow injury at the beginning of the season, a condition that always needs to be rebuilt and the year passed with ups and downs. Much lower.
And in fact with Realini we begin by exorcising all of this.
The season was exciting, wasn’t it?!
All the interviews from January 10th onwards began with this irony: a truly “beautiful” season! Jokes aside, it was clear that it wasn’t Gaia Realini’s year. After two years at the top, there was a hitch on January 10th, when I broke my elbow. It seemed trivial, but it turned out to be bigger than expected and took up a lot of my recovery time. Then the whole season was about chasing preparation and form. Not to mention that I also got sick several times. When I went to the races I was always at 40-50 percent. I pushed my body to the limit, but unfortunately when you’re not at your best, even among women you can’t hide anything.
Even the head, perhaps unconsciously, has an impact…
Exact. The psychological part, when it sees that it’s not working, it’s really not working. You always put yourself down. But I also look at the positive side and I can say that 2025 was a year in which I worked a lot on myself. I’m proud because, in a bad year, I met another Gaia, a girl who was able to overcome a difficult period. Maybe someone else would have said: enough, I’m hanging up my bike.
But you’re young…
And in fact I have to say thanks to all the team staff, to my family who supported me 24/7, because without them I would never have made it, and also to my coach Francesco Masciarelli, who continually encouraged me. Francesco was one of those who, in bad moments, said yes to me. And that made me really happy.
But you are here and there is a new season in front of you. The break has been done and you’ve already left…
Yes, that’s right. In the end I did the kilometers of 2025, but I’ll tell you the truth: perhaps they were the hardest kilometers of my life. Finding myself in the small group in every race, dealing with the maximum time and wondering if I would make it to the end. For me it was something I had never experienced before and I hope I never experience it again. Very ugly. Hearing the runners and sprinters say: “Let’s wait, let’s do the math, we have to arrive within a certain amount of time.” I asked: «Are you really doing these calculations behind you? Does it really work like that?”.
An experience, let’s put it that way…
Of course, an experience in which I met faces of cycling that I didn’t know. Maybe it was better not to know them and just hear about them, but sooner or later everything must be savored!
Let’s look ahead, Gaia. What are the sensations of these first rides with a view to 2026? Have you already done any tests?
I definitely feel like Gaia again. I just hope I don’t have problems like last year and find confidence in myself again. When you have faith, everything comes by itself. My first objective will be precisely this: to regain confidence in my terrain, that is, the climb.
You talked about climbing and the level of women’s cycling. Now that the level is raised, the roles seem more defined. The climbers emerge more clearly. Is Realini one of them?
From what I have demonstrated in previous years, yes. I did it in both 2023 and 2024, also as a wingman of Elisa Longo Borghini. Many say that today there are fewer female climbers. It’s partly true.
But we saw Ferrand-Prévot win the Tour as a climber…
A bit like in men’s cycling, roles are also being defined among women. And I am very happy about this. I don’t want to lose or change this inspiration as a pure climber. Of course, I suffer a little on the valley routes, but I know I have my own very specific hunting ground.
What’s your schedule?
I will start immediately in January with the Tour Down Under in Australia. I’m happy, also because I’m sensitive to the cold and I’m going there to get some heat. After this race we will evaluate my condition and, as I said before, my confidence with the whole team.
Clearly the Giro Women idea is there?
Absolutely yes. I want to do the Giro d’Italia Women. I have to be competitive like in other years. For an Italian it is the home race. The first thing that struck me was seeing the Colle delle Finestre. The first person I thought of was Froome, when he made that attack. I was a child, but I remember it well. Then when I saw the Nevegal stopwatchwhich is not flat as often happens, I gained a good dose of courage and confidence. I can’t wait to tackle these climbs.
You mentioned your former captain, Elisa Longo Borghini. There was a great feeling between you, but in general an athlete of this caliber is missing? Was it a bit of a landmark?
Of course, someone like Elisa is missing. A great captain with a lot of experience behind her. We are all promising young people for sure. The team believes so much in us, in what we can do and perhaps this is precisely why the group misses Longo Borghini so much. At least I miss it a lot! But I don’t want to feel sorry for myself. I want to continue growing and maybe even bring her closer. In 2023 and 2024 I also showed that I can do it myself. So I can’t wait to get back into competition.
On the team there is also a champion like Lucinda Brand. You did cyclocross: do you think this discipline can still give you something?
I stopped doing cross in 2022. I still had one year left on my contract with Guerciotti, but I gave up early because I knew that the road season with Lidl-Trek would be full from January to December. Cyclocross helped me a lot, but today I don’t regret leaving it. Also because there is not only the technical aspect to consider.
And what else?
Living in Pescara, all trips were long. A continuous toss that took its toll on recovery, performance and stress. Many people tell me: look at Van der Poel or Van Aert who also do crosses. But they have everything at their fingertips and it’s different (in addition to very large salaries, ed.).
Gaia, we touched on many topics. Do you want to add something?
A message comes to mind for my colleagues in the group: this year you haven’t seen me, but next year you will see me and you will be sick of me! I’m joking, but I’ll really put a lot of effort into it, that’s for sure.
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