CyclistIts my dream to do the Mortirolo in a race: Monica Trinca Colonel Q&ATell us a bit about getting into cycling as a kid. Did you watch it first?Yes I always watched the racing. My brother, who is four years older than me, started to race, so I followed his races. My family then became more interested in cycling, and we always followed the races on TV.I remember in 2008 me and my family went to Varese to watch the World Championships. I have good memories from that, I was very young, maybe seven years old, and an Italian rider won. For me, it was special, to watch such an important race, and to be there.Also my house where I grew up is at the foot of the Mortirolo. So every time the Giro dItalia passed through my valley, me and my family went to watch. Its a dream to do this climb in a race, its my home.So you decided to start racing because of your brother?At the beginning, yes, my brother started and four years later I followed him. I liked the sport. At the start, I did mountain biking for six years, and then I tried to do some races on the road. I love the mountain bike, but I decided to race on the road.Trinca Colonel leads the group of favourites on Jebel Hafeet at the 2026 UAE Tour. Luca Bettini/SprintCyclingAgency via Liv-AlUla-JaycoYou raced against some other big Italian names as a young rider?I did some races with Elisa Balsamo and Letizia Paternoster when I was 12 or 13 years old I think. I remember they were already very, very strong. I was strong too; I never won, but I was always in the top ten. So, not the strongest, but I was always there.At that point could you imagine that you would have a future in the sport?No, not at that point, because I was very young and I didnt understand what I could do, how good I was for my age at that moment. Also my grandparents didnt feel so good at that time, and I decided to stop racing. I stopped for many years. I continued to study and I started to work, and didnt ride the bike.After a few years, when I became older and more confident, I decided to try again. Also I think I tried again because I had people around me that helped me to do it, because alone it was difficult, but with people around me that said to me, You can do it. You have to try, because you are strong enough, I decided to try again. At the time I was working as an optician in Livigno, and I decided to stop working, and try to race again.Did you miss it while you were away?Yeah, I was always thinking about how I could do it. I watched on TV and I thought I would like to be there, because its a passion and this passion never died.She finished just 12 seconds down on winner Elisa Longo Borghini on Jebel Hafeet. Luca Bettini/SprintCyclingAgency via Liv-AlUla-JaycoWas it difficult when you returned to the peloton?I thought it would be more difficult. Maybe the first race was a bit stressful for me, because it was my first time again in the peloton, but it was not so bad. And then after every race that I did,I felt more confidence and more comfortable. It was strange, because after a few races I felt like I never stopped cycling, maybe because the bike for me is like a part of me. So it was not so difficult in the end.Did you notice any big changes since you left, in how the peloton raced, or in womens cycling?Yeah, for sure. But when I raced when I was young it was many years ago. So then I stopped and, for sure, everything has changed. I think now is a very good moment for womens cycling, maybe the best moment. So Im lucky to be here now.Its even more impressive that you came back and almost immediately you were up there with some of the top riders. Did you expect that?Its also strange for me, because two years ago I was a new one in the peloton, and I felt like I could stay there, but I didnt think about how maybe after a few years I could do something very important. I think now Im more confident. Also at the start I didnt have many hours of training, and I didnt know my body. Now I know my body very well, and how I can feel at the start of a race or in training. Im impressed with myself too, because I didnt think that I could make these developments. I knew that I could do more than at the start, because I never trained a lot, not like this. So Im very happy, and I hope to improve again.Do you think that coming back a few years older and wiser maybe gave you an advantage?I think Im very similar to the young riders, because in the end I had no years in my legs, no years of efforts. So yeah, Im older, but for cycling Im like a new rider.How about mentally, bringing in more maturity perhaps?I worked before cycling so I know how life is off the bike. So for me now its a very good life. I enjoy everything I think more than maybe a young rider who has maybe just raced and not gone to work.You know both sides, so you can appreciate it more.Exactly.Whats the best bit about your job?I like most choosing what time to wake up, when to train I choose my time. Also I like to travel, to go to different places and to meet new people. Also, now Im learning English, its an opportunity, because I can speak with different people from different countries. I like that.She finished 2nd overall at the UAE Tour, a career best at a WorldTour race.Luca Bettini/SprintCyclingAgency via Liv-AlUla-JaycoSo far in 2026 weve seen you riding strongly at the UAE Tour. Did you expect to be up at that level already?No, honestly. I went to UAE with no specific efforts toward this race, because it was not one of the very important races for me this year. But I knew that I felt good in training, so I went there thinking, okay, I dont know how my shape is, but I feel good and we never know what can happen. It was very low pressure, just go and see what happened. And in the end, its always like this when I go to races where I dont know what I can do because maybe I havent prepared so much for this race, but in the end I was strong enough.When you look at the likes of Demi Vollering, Pauline Ferrand-Prvot, these major GC names, do you see yourself near that level, or reaching it in the future?I would like to reach this level and, for sure, I will do everything to reach it. Im sure that with no pressure and step by step, I think its possible, but for now Im not at that level. Maybe for some types of efforts I can be at that level or close to it, but I need to improve in other parts or other types of efforts.What are your biggest goals for the 2026 season?I will race Vuelta, Giro and Tour. Every Grand Tour. Next, I will do the Italian classics Strade Bianche, Trofeo Binda, San Remo and then the Ardennes. Before the Ardennes, we will do some altitude to prepare, especially for the Vuelta. I hope to do something on GC at the Tour de France, for sure, but we will see.Whats your favourite race?My favourite race is Strade Bianche. I love this race. I like gravel sectors, I like the atmosphere, the place, I really love this race. Every year after the race Im already nostalgic. Its strange.Would you say that was the race you would most like to win in your career?I would like to win Strade Bianche one time. Maybe its not the best race for me, for my characteristics for now, but for sure its a dream. Then also Tour de France is of course a dream, and the National Championship too I would like to wear the Italian jersey.What brings you joy off the bike?I love sport. I love skiing, Nordic skiing or ski mountaineering, and also running. I love to go to the mountains. I live in the mountains, but I love to go to the Eiger where we have a small house, and to stay there where its not so busy. Its very relaxing. Related Posts 'I remain grateful for the amazing support I still receive': Julian Alaphilippe Q&A Giro d'Italia Women 2026 to take on the Colle delle Finestre: Full route breakdown Classic climb: Mortirolo, one of the Giro dItalias toughest climbs Cycling Spring Classics 2026: Race dates, Monuments, cobbles and live TV guide Monica Trinca Colonel bioBorn: Grosotto, Italy, 21st May 1999Team: Liv-AlUla-JaycoNotable results: 2026 2nd Stage 4; 2nd overall, UAE Tour20256th Tre Valli Varesine1st Stage 6, 3rd Stages 4 and 5, Tour de lArdche2nd Italian National Championships Road Race; 5th Time-Trial3rd Stage 1, 5th Stage 2, 4th Stage 4, 7th Stage 7; 7th overall, Vuelta Femenina8th Lige-Bastogne-Lige8th Trofeo Alfredo Binda4th Stage 3; 4th overall, UAE Tour2024:7th Tre Valli Varesine7th Giro dellEmiliaThe post Its my dream to do the Mortirolo in a race: Monica Trinca Colonel Q&A appeared first on Cyclist.