Silvia Persico - “One of my goals in the next years is that I want to win one Tour de France”

25-year-old Italian Silvia Persico is dreaming of a Grand Tour victory. Following a fifth-place finish at the 2022 Tour de France Femmes, she now believes she can do even better in the coming years.

As the rider says herself, she used to prefer the classics but her recent experiences at the Tour de France Femmes and Giro d’Italia Donne changed her future plans. "I was a girl for the classics, because I didn’t like stage races too much," she says. "but in general, I think I prefer now the stage races."

The highlight of her Tour effort this year was no doubt her incredible ride up Planche des Belles Filles on the final stage. "I was really tired, and in my head, I wanted only to stop because I was too tired,” Persico admitted. “When I arrived on the last climb, I don’t know what was happening in my head, but I was thinking ‘okay, the last climb and then you go on holiday so you must push.’ I arrived third but I really don’t know how because I was so tired.”

Joining UAE Team ADQ on a 3-year-deal starting next year, Persico will be joined by a host of good climbers in her new team including Mikayla Harvey and Lizzie Holden. Making the first change of team since turning professional in 2017, Persico is confident she's made the choice, “I think that I choose the one team that really believes so much in me and I really believe so much in them,” she said. "I hope that we can do a really good season and I’m happy"