DS PRO APPAREL

Pink Rocket

PMA / lactic outdoor for the incredible feelings you can reach.

Needs to be 100% functional and comfy. Of course the look is very important, too ! I always want to look feminine. Before the race, I make sure I test all the pieces of equipment I will use, to ensure they work perfectly.

The bright sunlight and the chance we have to live in a country where people are free to do what makes them happy. The thought that I can accomplish something new every day – even a very small achievement – for others or for myself. The challenge of getting out of my comfort zone. The perspective of sharing moments and feelings with the people I love. The idea that I can inspire more women to start cycling, showing them how the sport empowers us.

I follow sports in general, mainly cycling. Since I work in the art industry, I love visiting museums and art galleries, too. And travelling, of course. I love to travel and to discover new places. We should not forget about gastronomy. I studied Hospitality Management and got hooked by good cuisine, by the way, a Chef is able to share his feelings through a simple dish. I enjoy looking for new restaurants and going test them.

In this year’s Chasing Cancellara race I competed in a duo with my brother. It was a 210 km course, 100 km flat and then 3 km among the highest passes in Switzerland: Grimsel, Nufenen and Gotthard Tremola Pass. All of them top above 2000 m above sea level. On July 2nd, we departed at 5:00 am for an approximately 9-hour race with 5000 m D+. After 30 minutes, the rain started to pour like it can in central Switzerland. By the time we reached the middle of the Grimsel ascent, we entered a sea of deep fog, so thick we got more wet than in the rain we had before… It was now 10:30 am as we started the climb towards Nufenen pass, and guess what? The sun was shining and it was pretty hot ! Let’s not forget to eat and drink everything we can or the last climb will hurt like hell! Last, but not least, we gathered our remaining energy to tackle the cobbled Tremola and reach the mythical San Gottardo pass. Along the road, we shared laughter, tensions, brotherhood and passion. We met friends, talked with other cyclists and encouraged all of them as they motivated us in turn. 

Makes me feel happy and free!

Eating well and sticking to the plan.

I think our objectives should be set so that they motivate us!

This year I started training with a former pro cyclist here in Geneva. She tailors special programs for me to meet the season’s racing objectives. A week usually has 5 training sessions. Winter sessions are a bit different than summer exercises, as they feature home trainer intensities and core workouts. Summer week plans have more endurance outdoor rides so that my body gets used to longer hours on the saddle. I eat 3-4 times a day and drink a lot – I mean a lot – of water. Breakfast is always a home made skim-milk yogurt with protein muesli and a coffee with coconut milk. Lunch typically would be a big salad or poke bowl with proteins, a lot of raw vegetables and some carbs. Plus a fruit. Dinner usually has no or a few carbs only, for mains: a grilled protein (salmon, chicken or tofu) and cooked vegetables. A lot of them. A fruit and some dried nuts / fruits for the sweet taste before the day ends!

I ALWAYS train and race with music. Helps me escape the pain and focus on the exercise or race. Since some exercises require more, I created an ad hoc playlist called “test” – for no special reason – with music offering extra-motivation. You can find punk rock songs by The Offspring or Sum 41, dance songs by David Guetta or Scooter and a few others. Otherwise I pick playlists matching the mood of the moment. Some days it will be Latino music, some others days, actual pop rock.

Not sure this really was an obstacle or more of a traumatic moment. I had being doing artistic gymnastics for 10 years and, when I was 17,  I crashed on the trampoline. I suddenly found myself in an ambulance with a misplaced collarbone and a broken backbone, doctors not being sure I was going to be able to ever walk again. That night was the longest night of my life. Consequences were less serious than expected and, eventually, nowadays, I only suffer from back pain from time to time. I did not realize at that moment, but this accident makes me feel very lucky and thus so dedicated in everything I do, as I know we should not take things for granted. Ever.