'I'm ready to take this step' – Bastianelli to retire after Giro d'Italia Donne

Marta Bastianelli is set to retire from a 20-year professional cycling career after competing in her home stage race at the Giro d'Italia Donne. The Italian, who races for UAE Team ADQ, has stated in an interview with Bici Pro that she is ready to take the next step beyond racing.

"I know that the Giro will be the last race, and I'm actually starting to make it happen. This is how things go, the last race is approaching. They were days spent with great tranquillity. I've always made my way, thinking about what awaits me tomorrow. One day at a time. And I must say that I am more and more convinced of my choice," Bastianelli said.

"This career lasted twenty years, I'm very serene. I've lived it calmly since the beginning, I've always tried to be professional so, as a result, it doesn't weigh me down, and I don't lose sleep over it. I'm ready to take this step."

Although she initially intended to retire last season, Bastianelli placed her retirement on hold, and she extended her contract, racing with UAE Team ADQ for one more season in 2023. 

She's had a strong season with podiums during the Spring Classics at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Omloop van het Hageland before landing victories at Le Samyn des Dames and the opening stage of the Festival Elsy Jacobs.

She also had strong performances at Thüringen Ladies Tour and Diamond Tour but did not finish the recent Tour de Suisse, noting that it might have been the last opportunity to see some of her teammates before she officially retires after the Giro d'Italia Donne.

"At the Tour of Switzerland, I met up with some girls from my team, and I realized it was the last time I was racing with them. They were all excited, but I try not to experience [pending retirement] like this," Bastianelli said.

"I am happy that it is the last year and that I will stop after the Giro d'Italia. Obviously, it can also be a bad thing because you think that some girls, especially foreign girls, who you will not see again. With the Italians, however, the opportunity will arise."

Bastianelli is currently competing at the Italian Road Championships and will then join UAE Team ADQ at the Giro d'Italia Donne, which takes place from June 30 to July 9 across five Italian regions of Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, Liguria and Sardinia. 

She has a long history racing the event, competing in nine editions during her career and winning stage 9 into Polla in 2017 while capturing multiple podium stage finishes.

Bastianelli began racing at the highest level in 2006, turning pro when she was 19. She spent three seasons with Safi-Pasta Zara and went on to win the elite women's road race title at the World Championship in 2007.

In 2008, she received a suspension after returning a positive control for appetite suppressant fenfluramine. She was eligible to return to competing in August 2009.

In the last 13 years, Bastianelli has raced for teams Feniks-Petrogrades, Mcipollini, Faren-Let's Go Finland, Aromitalia-Vaiano, Ale Cipollini, and one year with Virtu Cycling before returning to Ale BTC Ljubljana which transitioned into the current UAE Team ADQ. 

She noted how far both the sport and teams have come since her debut with the professional women's peloton 20 years ago and that this progress happened quickly. She hopes the next generation of riders continues to strive for their success.

"We got to the top, but we came from nowhere," she said. "Now we have the bus, but I remember when we did the Giro d'Italia inside the vans ... the message I would like to get across is that we must live up to what we have achieved."

Bastianelli became a mother in 2014 and returned to racing that same year. At that time, she had support from team Fiamme Azzurre, the sports section of the Italian police force Polizia Penitenziaria, but many of her successes happened in the last seasons of her career.

She has been a staple contender during many Spring Classics while carefully selecting stage races to avoid being away from home for long periods. She made every race count with victories at the Tour of Flanders, Gent-Wevelgem, Ronde van Drenthe, Vårgårda WestSweden and European Championships.

Upon retirement, Bastianelli said she intends to spend time with her daughter and relax in what she has established as her normal life at home with her family.

"Everyone asks me what I will do the next day. My vacation will be staying at home and living with my family, the things left behind. We have the sea nearby, I don't have to travel who knows how many kilometres," Bastianelli said.

"In my opinion, not everyone in this environment understands the normality of life. I tasted it when I had the baby. I've already had a taste of what awaits me, beautiful and also complicated, because life is not all roses and flowers."

She also hopes UAE Team ADQ continues to progress as a team for years to come.

"This team is a family to me because we moved from the context of Alé Cycling to the current UAE Team ADQ. We met new people who want to grow and carry on an important conversation with women. I found them very well, and I hope they continue to grow."

Bastianelli is now set to line up for the elite women's road race at the Italian Championships on Sunday, in what will also mark her last race under the Fiamme Azzurre, and she hopes to do the jersey proud.

"It's really hard. We want to do well because we only race once a year with the Fiamme Azzurre, which has supported us all year long, especially in my case, so we'll set off to have an excellent race. And if we fast girls have little chance, we will help Elena Cecchini, who could get into a good escape. In any case, we will try to honour the jersey, which I will wear for the last time on Sunday. And if I think about it, I have to admit, now it seems a bit strange to me."