ANDREA CASAGRANDA. FROM THE FROST OF THE ARROW TO THE HEAT (HOPEFULLY) OF SPAIN TO CONTINUE GROWING. GALLERY

CLOTHING | 04/22/2024 | 08:12

by Alessandro Brambilla

In Levico Terme among the special guests of the Tour of the Alps was Andrea Casagranda, cycle girl of the BePink Bongioanni team. The daughter of art took part in the Fleche Wallonne in French-speaking Belgium on Wednesday, completing it with honour. The “Fleche” took place on a very cold and wet day.

«Already an hour before the start – says Andrea, an athlete from Borgo Valsugana (Trento) born on 22 September 2004 – it was raining cats and dogs. After the starting group they made us go through a stretch at a tourist pace in which I was practically frozen. It’s not great to feel cold sensations when the race hasn’t started yet. Then it stopped raining but with the temperature constantly close to zero it was a great suffering. I’m happy to have completed it.”

Andrea grew up cycling. Dad Stefano was an excellent professional and among other things he won the Lagundo stage of the 1998 Giro del Trentino, a race which since 2017 has taken on the name Tour of the Alps. Stefano Casagranda has been president of the Velo Club Borgo Valsugana for some yearsan association for which he was a rider in the youth categories. Mother Caterina is a sports teacher and takes care of rookies and students of the Velo Club Borgo Valsugana. And then there is Niccolò, born in 2003, Andrea’s brother, who practiced cycling until the age of 17.

Naturally, the Velo Club Borgo Valsugana also represented the cycling cradle for Andrea: he made his debut wearing the “Borgo” jersey as a G1, at the age of 7. «I won 10 races in the G6», he specifies. She remained faithful to the Trentino association until her second season among the students. In her two junior seasons she ran for the Breganze Millenium. In 2022 he celebrated two victories, including the Italian Team Time Trial Championship. Since last season he has belonged to manager Walter Zini’s team. «At BePink – specifies Andrea – I feel perfectly at ease. Walter allows me to grow gradually.”

Andrea’s next competitive commitment will be the Vuelta a Espana from 28 April to 5 May. «I participated in the Vuelta 2023 and it was a wonderful experience». Andrea Casagranda broke away on the second day of competition in the Orihuela-Pilar de la Horadada. «At the very least I want to go on the run again this year. Logically the dream is to place among the first at least in one stage.”

The girl from Borgo Valsugana likes to race in Spain. «After the Vuelta a Espana the BePink staff will line me up for the Durango race and immediately after I will compete in the Vuelta a Burgos». The summer program is not yet defined and of course Andrea has a good chance of participating in the Giro d’Italia. «Thanks to Zini’s advice I hope to intensify my presence in the noble parts of the arrival orders. Clearly my aim is to win the blue jersey for the Under 23 European Championship in Holland. It will not be easy”.

Andrea Casagranda has a model to follow: «She’s the fantastic Demi Vollering». As is known, Andrea is engaged to Giulio Pellizzari, second in the Schwaz stage of the Tour of the Alps, eighth in the final standings. «We met in the winter of 2022-23 when we went on holiday to Marsa Alam, Egypt, with a group of runners. He and I didn’t know each other, but we decided to hang out ever since. In terms of cycling, speaking to Giulio, I really envy his mentality.”

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