Newsgroup: it.sport.ciclismo
Titolo: Modesta Interview

Courtesy of a friend...
The Dutch is clearly a translation by someone who isn't a native speaker -
just as my English is. Please regard the translation as something someone
with really good skills in English should edit.
---------------------------------------------------------
Interview - 2005
The rider must hide her wounded legs for the photo sessions
Modesta Vzesniauskaite, the 22 year old winner of the bronze medal of the
European Championships U23, is in a dilemma - should she continue road
racing or should she go mountain biking?
By Zina Turcinskiene
Riding through the mountains is fun
"How was this sports season for you?"
"I hoped for more, but it isn't frightening. I didn't take part in
important races during one month in summer and two months before the WC. I
had problems with my team, they hurt me a little bit. I prepared for the
WC with the men and only rode with the amateurs. The WC wasn't my kind of
track, that's why I helped my team members, mostly Diana Ziliute. I'm
really pleased with the bronze medal I won at the EC in Moscow, though I
hoped and trained to win gold. Unfortunately, sport is great because it's
unpredictable, too."
"How long have you been riding for the "SC Nobili Rubinetterie" team?"
"One year. It's a very big team with tremendous sponsors. They don't know
themselves what they want from the riders. I thought they expected results
from me. But it turned out differently. The see me as an aid for the other
sportswomen. When I signed the agreement with the club, I said I wanted to
race, to win, to be a champion. Not in all races, of course. They started
to get interested in my private life too much, I didn't get paid anymore.
They didn't like my having a personal coach and working according to a
programme he made. His pupil won the WC this year, he coaches the three
best women cyclists in the world. The team management just wanted to get a
firmer grip on me."
"How did you meet L. Guarcilena?"
"I have a manager. Because I don't just race in Italy but also do photo
sessions and advertising, it wasn't hard for him to find me a famous
trainer. The trainer agreed because he thinks I'm young and promising. In
the Lithuanian national team I'm coached by Valerius Konovalovas and
Algimantas Buividas."
"I know you're negotiating with other Italian teams. Do you know already
who you are going to represent next year?"
"I get a lot of offers, form small as well as big teams. It has its pros
and cons. Big teams that pay a lot and offer a lot of possibilities want
me to work for other riders. In a small team I could be a leader, but then
they don't have the facilities I want. I'm considering to switch to
mountain biking. I've spoken about it with my coaches V. Konovalovas and
A. Buividas. Mountain biking has more possibilities with regard to the
Olympics. This year I participated in an MTB race in Italy after only a
short training. I managed to conquer the most difficult tracks. The
descents were so steep and rocky I thought I was going to die. But I liked
it. The more difficult the mountains are, the better I feel. There were
some 900 contestants in the race. I became 135th. Not very good, but this
was my first race. There's no Lithuanian MTB or cycle cross representative
in the Olympics or at the WC. It would be a shame not to seize the
opportunity. Though I sometimes do ask myself what I'm doing here. Do I
want to die or something? It seems only nutcases can ride these tracks.
But after a good descent from a difficult mountain I say to myself "you're
doing good, Modesta, go on." I enjoy MTB'ing. Most difficult are steep,
rocky descents with a lot of bends."
Good collaboration
"Did the conflict between the riders of the national team in the Olympics
in Athens make you change your mind?"
"There are a great many riders in Lithuania. They all want to compete in
the Olympics, that's how conflicts like last year in Athens submerge. But
is it worth to fight over it? I think that three years of MTB training
earned me a place in the Olympic squad. I got an offer from an Italian MTB
team with good conditions. Because I was so hurt by my team this year, I
want to consider it thoroughly and be sure I don't get deceived."
"What is the atmosphere like in the Lithuanian national team now?"
"There may still be some tension, but during the WC all went very well. We
aimed for unity and we succeeded. We didn't get good results but we showed
good collaboration. It was tough for D. Zilliute after she gave birth, we
helped her a lot the whole race. We even pushed her though it's not
allowed. Edita Pucinskaite even "carried" Diana over the finish."
"You and Daiva Tuslaite are the youngest in the national team. Did that
give you any pressure?"
I lacked self-confidence in my first year. I even addressed the girls with
Miss Edita, Miss Diana, Miss Jolanta, Miss Rasa, and Miss Zita... Now I
don't feel they're older anymore. They listen to my opinion, too."
She wants to smile to people
"Did you try other sports before finding cycling?"
"When I like something, I do it and stick to it.  I danced in the past. I
liked it but it had no perspective, I wasn't motivated enough, I missed
competition and emotion. I liked to run long distance and specialises n
the 10 km. At one point my brother encouraged me to take part in a cycling
race. There my coaches spotted me and asked me to come training. At first
my brother even gave me money (10 cents) to go to practice. Then the
training camps started. A wonderful coach, A. Buividas, worked with me. He
did everything with so much joy. I wanted to thank him for it by getting
good results. I haven't seen anything but cycling ever since. This sport
means so much for me: versatility, emotions, joy, fun, passion. I feel
lifted from reality when I win a race and sad when I lose. I have a goal
that drives me onwards. It's also a great plus that I get paid for this
beloved job. I really want to financially support my parents in Lithuania,
I've got another two brothers and a sister."
"So you don't see your future in Lithuania?"
"It's great fun to spend holidays in Lithuania but I don't want to live
there. I want to smile to people and get a reaction. Unfortunately it's
not like that in Lithuania."
Chose LKKA (physical education) studies
"You live in Italy. Do you have the possibilities to meet other Lithuanian
riders?"
"Unfortunately we live quite far apart. This year I live in Milan which is
300 km from the other girls. I ride in the same team as E. Pucinskaite but
we seldom see each other. Most of my friends here are Italians. Maybe
that's why I long for Lithuania so much."
"You were in Lithuania for ten days, you celebrated your 22nd birthday,
and what else?"
"I don't think I slept for more than four hours per night. I have seen my
family, and other riders. I have been at my cousin Ugnius' baptism
ceremony. My family waited two years with it because I didn't have the
time. My godson is super! He's a real sportsman. He already has a bike and
sporting gear. He's following in my footsteps. Those ten days in Panevezys
gave me enough energy for the next four months. I don't really go to
Lithuania very often. That isn't really a burden because I know what I
want and why I'm so far from home. I like the Italian climate, as well as
the people. Many people tell me I have changed, I used to be simpler, now
I'm really picky. I want to get as much out of life as possible, I don't
want to miss or lose anything. I entered the "Academy for Physical
Education" this year, I'll be doing physical wellness. Pity I couldn't do
management studies, I missed out on half a point."
"Why did you choose Lithuania to study and not Italy?"
"My manager proposed to study in Italy. But I'd have to do an Italian exam
first. Not very easy. I didn't want to lose a year by preparing for the
exam."
Modelling is hopeless
"Can you tell me how you're settled in Italy?"
"I used to live together with the team but it didn't work for me. When
you've got a lot of foreign girls in a house, there are often
misunderstandings, fights and jealousy. This year I'm renting an
apartment. Though it cost me ? 600 a month I lived quietly."
"You're faithful to the Lithuanian kitchen, do you like Italian cooking as
well?"
"I was always a fan of the Lithuanian kitchen. This is the first year I
eat Italian. I don't count calories, I permit myself quite a lot. The
sport demands that I abstain from a lot already, even without diets. So
let at least my meals be not too limited, only before races I eat healthy
and balanced. It's normal in Italy to eat pastry and cereals at breakfast.
Lunch - pasta, maccheroni, salad. Dinner - meat, soup, lots of vegetables.
Italians, like Lithuanians, eat bread a lot. They love cheese, that's
true. Once the doctors told me to eat more cheese. I'm used to do things
fair - what has to be done, has to be done. But I overdid it, so much so
that I later got problems with my cholesterol."
"You don't merely sport in Italy, but you also do photo sessions and
advertising. These things seem hardly compatible."
"Modelling is nothing for me. It's hopeless. You can only do it now and
then. Neither do I have the required "90-60-90". I'm 80-60-80. I have
muscular and wounded legs. I get make-up for every session. I signed a
contract with an agency this year. My style was radically changed: my hair
cut and coloured. I don't like it but I have to do it. I have to take good
care of myself. I have to go to parties because I have to be recognised. I
can't complain about the attention I'm getting. The Italian press writes
about me a lot, I'm in TV programmes a lot. Sometimes -during training-
someone comes up to me and asks if I'm really Modesta. Modesta is Italian
for modest. Maybe that is why they can easily remember my name. Not my
surname, though. People don't even try to pronounce it. Now I've been
invited with Italian soccer, cycling, skiing and swimming stars to
participate in an interesting project called "Conversation with a
champion". People can call a number and directly talk with their favourite
sportsmen or sportswoman. My manager wants to set up my own website, I
have a fan club in Italy. I love to dance. Too bad the clubs all open so
late so I can't go. My sister Edita has already realised my dream: she has
been a dance trainer for small children for two years now."
"Are you thinking about marriage and a family?"
"I don't want to marry before 28. Until then I want to get as far as I
can, insure my future. Materially as well. If it would happen otherwise
and I'd marry I know I would dedicate myself to my family. I could never
leave my children behind and go training, like Rasa and Jolante
Polikeviciute or D. Ziliute."
"Do you think your husband could be a rider?"
"No. He could be a sportsman but not a rider. I think I know riders too
well, I see their lives consist of permanent travel, meeting new people,
seductions en sideways... Of course, everything depends of the man
himself."

 Courtesy of a friend...
Thank you, now I only need a French, German and Spanish version of this 
interview...
-- 
http://modesta.biciticino.ch
Il sito dedicato alla giovane ciclista lituana Modesta Vzesniauskaite