Do you think it is important to know the language well before moving to another country or becoming a member of a foreign team?
It is important to know the basics so that you have a starting point, but just being around people who are speaking the language makes it so much easier to pick up.

Do you speak any other languages?
I learnt French in school and can hold a basic conversation which comes in handy with fans or race organisers.

What countries have you visited since you began competitive cycling, and which are your favourites?
From my base in Italy we go to races all over Europe, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium and even Russia, then there is also the races on the North American calendar which takes me to Canada and America. Italy is a country I really love, but each country has its own particular charm. There are also parts of Canada and America that I have really taken to.

Would you recommend learning a foreign language to other up and coming young cyclists or athletes?
Definitely for aspiring cyclists… There is little hope of achieving on the World Stage if you try and base yourself in Britain so either French or Italian are important languages, both for everyday life and talking with competitors during events. It also takes the stress away from travelling if you know that you can talk with the local people to ask help when you arrive.

Do you have any anecdotes or funny stories about language barriers or misunderstandings that have happened during your travels?
One unfortunate misunderstanding was "mollare" the italian word for "give in". Before a race, the team director kept saying "non mollare" (don't give in) which I took for the complete opposite… So, during the race on a difficult climb, I had the idea in my head to take it easy and sit in the middle of the bunch thinking that the important part of the race was still to come... As you can imagine I only needed to learn that lesson once!

Would your life be any different if you couldn't speak Italian?
Either I would be living a very stressful and difficult life in Italy, not getting to know my team-mates and being an outsider in the women's peloton, or I would need to ride for a different team in America or Holland, but the racing isn't as strong and in both cases it would harm my cycling.

What would you say to young people who are thinking of dropping a modern language at school?
Don't !! You never know what opportunities you are cutting yourself off from… you could miss out on new friends, travelling and even work experiences.