Francesca Porcellato

Started: She took up Para cycling in 2014. (incodaalgruppo.gazzetta.it, 24 Mar 2016) Reason: She was introduced to Para cycling as part of her training programme for the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, where she competed in Para cross-country skiing. (incodaalgruppo.gazzetta.it, 24 Mar 2016) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (antennatre YouTube channel, 28 Aug 2023) Awards: She received the 2012 Verona Giovani award in Italy in recognition of her sporting successes. (verona-in.it, 18 Dec 2012) In 2010 she was named a Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. (quirinale.it, 10 Sep 2010) She was joint flag bearer with swimmer Cecilia Camellini for Italy at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. (inail.it, 09 Jul 2009) In 2004 she was named an Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. She had previously been named a Knight in 2000. (quirinale.it, 01 Jan 2016) Additional Info: BIOGRAPHY In 2022 she published her biography 'La Rossa Volante' [The Flying Redhead]. She co-wrote the biography alongside Italian journalist Matteo Bursi. (comune.torino.it, 16 Jan 2023) FROM ATHLETICS AND SKIIING TO CYCLING She believes that her background in Para athletics has given her the endurance required to compete at international level in Para cycling, but adds that she needed to lose some of the body mass she acquired for Para cross-country skiing when she transitioned to the bike after the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi. "In athletics, in addition to speed, I also ran marathons, so I have always done endurance training, which is the basis for all three disciplines. Then, for skiing, it was necessary to have resistant strength so I intensified my training in that aspect. For cycling, instead, I had to lose some mass and become more agile and, therefore, I did different work on strength. Perhaps the greatest difficulty was the tactical and technical adaptation, because the disciplines are almost the opposite of each other, but I would say that I have succeeded well." (atleticalive.it, 19 Apr 2018)