The overwhelming energy of Asja Zenere: "I dream of Podkoren, I want to win the European Cup and with speed..."

In the exclusive interview with NEVEITALIA, conducted by the director Dario Puppo, the Vicentina spoke about herself with an open heart. Model? Lara Gut-Behrami, but also Bassino and Brignone, training with Lucia Recchia. Now the giants of Semmering, after the hat-trick in the continental circuit, and a thousand dreams in mind.

Friday 16 December 2022 9 minutes reading time

An authentic volcano, an explosion of energy, talent, determination to get back from hell and now find yourself in heaven, because Asja Zenere is experiencing the best moment of her career and she is that emerging talent, who arrived a few years late at these levels only because of the injuries, which the Italian women's giant had been waiting for quite a while, even if in the meantime Marta Bassino and Federica Brignone have pulled the cart obtaining sensational results over the years. But be careful, since the girl from Enego (but who lives in Barzio, in Valsassina) does not want to limit herself only to the wide doors, where she amazed everyone with that fabulous 11th place in her third appearance in the World Cup, last week -end in Sestriere. In reality Asja was born a sprinter and she explained it well in the special episode that NEVEITALIA, "On Talk" with Dario Puppo, wanted to dedicate to the blue of the moment. The 26-year-old from Vicenza, finally home for a few hours of rest after ten thrilling days, topped off by three victories in the giants of the European Cup between Zinal and Ponte di Legno (with the leadership in the general classification of the continental circuit), spoke to us right on the anniversary day, let's call it that, from the terrible injury of 15 December 2019 in the giant of Andalo, when launched towards the first success in the European Cup, which will arrive only 3 years later, the crusader of the right knee broke, losing everything in an instant, including the debut in the World Cup expected in Courchevel. “Let's say it's the birthday of... the knee – Asja joked with a smile, referring to the fact that 48 hours earlier, on December 13, she had celebrated her birthday with the first seal in Ponte di Legno – If we talk about Sestriere, I can say that that day I relived a bit of everything I went through and realized I could be with the grown-ups. That has always been a bit of a special track for me, given that I got my first top ten in the European Cup there”. Blonde and tenacious like… Lara Gut-Behrami; yes, the model from Ticino is the model that has always inspired Asja Zenere: “I've always loved Lara's skiing, but also her strong character. Then I studied many athletes, from Federica to Marta, their movements and every technical cue I could look for". And don't be surprised if we also see her in a World Cup super-g in January, it's only a matter of time considering her quality in this discipline too: "I was a novice downhill skier at a youth level, I always trained with Lucia Recchia, I followed in his footsteps and won the specialty tricolors. Then physical problems led me to take the giant route, but I still want to feel the thrill of a sprinter and since I'm there in the European Cup standings, I want to give it a try. There are good technical descents like Crans-Montana and Altenmarkt, I want to do them to win the general. Having three disciplines available, why not give it a try?”. Very clear ideas, such as those that will take her to Semmering in about ten days' time, for the next giants of the World Cup scheduled on the "Panorama" for 27 and 28 December: "It's a track I don't know, I'll worry about it between a couple of days – the Venetian goes on – I already know, however, that I will face it like in Sestriere, pulling out what I have, sparing nothing. I believe in instinct, even though I'm usually an athlete who suffers when I don''t know the tracks; staying out due to injuries, however, I have worked on the ability to adapt because it is part of the process it takes to become strong. This is what I also did in Ponte di Legno, I had never done the black Casola”. Speaking of tracks, Zenere is already looking forward to January, when... “I'm very curious to compete in Kranjska Gora. I've always done well on Podkoren, the ground is very icy and steep just the way I like it. The more difficult it is, the more my characteristics emerge, which is why in Soelden (where there was no competition, ed.) I was afraid of... piano”. Said of the terrible injury of 3 years ago, of the following season in fact still almost completely conditioned, also because with the covid in between he had lost months of rehabilitation, and of the new serious physical problem at the beginning of the 2021/22 year, when the 'talus in training in Saas-Fee, has everything really changed being able to finally do a complete preparation since the summer? “Yes, but not only. It all started with the materials, in the spring I told myself that at 25 it could also be my last year and so I made many changes. With my trainer we agreed to work differently, making me express myself to the maximum for that minute and a half on skis that is needed. We set ourselves food, physical and skiing goals, all of this is emerging but the big difference comes from the summer job that I was able to do as before, because I was finally fine". New appointment with NEVEITALIA? “Next time we'll talk when you get on the podium... the one of the World Cup, ok?”, the director's words. And Asja took up the bet: “Okay, I promise”. And we are convinced that it won't be too long before that day arrives.

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