Interview Yanina Kuskova

Last year, the whole world got to know 7 young Uzbek girls in the Tour de France. One of these new discoveries was Yanina Kuskova. The young rider already showed her talent in smaller races before but now also showed her strength and discipline in the hardest race on the calendar. This season, the 23 years old rider will ride in other colours and try to do even better. The rider from Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi tells her story and how she experienced her journey in our interview.

Last season you took part in your first Tour de France. How did you experience that race?

Yeah, last season was my first time that I took part in the Tour De France and the Giro d'Italia. The Giro d'Italia came first. Unfortunately, it was very difficult for me there. I was in bad shape because of an injury I got earlier on the 12^th May. I had a bad fall during my training and hurt my leg badly, I had 30% muscle damage and a broken shoulder It happened in Kazakhstan ( it was the day after the Asian Championships ended ) I was in a hospital there. I had my leg stitched up and a cast on my shoulder at the hospital there but I couldn't just sit at home and recover because we had the National Championships in Uzbekistan from the 24th till 28^th June.

I planned to ride only the road race but I didn't train at all and I went to the start of the National championships with a stitched up leg and a crack in my shoulder. it was so exciting. I was worried that I might lose and I wouldn't have my national champion's jersey. All the girls knew about my injury and of course everyone expects me to win.I was very nervous that day and before that day too. The race ended up in the mountains and I managed to get away and didn't have to finish out of the group which was very important and hard. But, this was the toughest national championship I've ever had, I was very happy. It was a day I'll remember for a long time.

Then we went to the Giro d'Italia. It was very hard for me. I was definitely in a bad shape. I don't know how I finished the whole race, but it was hard. At the Tour de France it was much easier physically I think I was in good shape but mentally it was not easy because everyone knows the situation in our team. That the girls started to drop out from the first stages and many teams and fans didn't want to see us at this race. Every time I came across negative articles about our team and

after all the girls had gone down it was very hard to go to the start, but before the start, my whole team was cheering me on.

But still it was a tough race, but towards the end of the race a lot of people started to support me and at the end of the race I was happy. I don't know how to describe all the emotions of the Tour de France, but it was something new for me.

You will be riding in a foreign team for the first time in your career. How do you feel in your new environment?

At the moment I haven't met my team in person yet, which will happen on the 6th of January, I'm very much looking forward to meeting my new team. I'm very excited because I don't know the language, but I'm learning it. I hope everything will go well and I will feel comfortable there and with the people who will work with me.

What are your goals for this season?

This season I want to raise my level of course to learn something new to get on the podium myself or to help the team to get on the podium. I think if you do everything right to work in training everything will work out. You just need to do everything together as a team we have a great group of girls many of them are already very good. I can't wait to race with them, it will be something new for me.

Who or what inspired you to start cycling?

I was inspired to take up the sport, probably just by the bicycle itself. I like to ride and I wanted to try to compete so I started racing.

Djamolidine Abdoujaparov is a famous cyclist from your country. Is he still popular today?

Yes, he is a cyclist from Uzbekistan here. A lot of people know him and probably all of us know his history, in the country. Only good things about him he has entered the history it's very cool.

What is your dream in the sport?

My dream in sports is to become a popular cyclist and to compete for the top places in big races. Of course everyone dreams of becoming a world champion. That's very exciting. To become someone who will write history my country I want to show that in Asia, where the sport is not as developed as in Europe, there can be great riders too. I think I'm on the right track. I just need a little more time. Yes, I won't become like this tomorrow. It will take months, maybe years, but I'm going for it and that's the main thing. Even if it's slow, the main thing is not to stop.

What are your interests outside of cycling?

My interests outside of cycling are probably the same as for a lot of girls. I like to go shopping with my friends to buy clothes, I like to sit down to eat and have fun. chatting is my favourite thing to do outside of sport.

What is your favourite food?

My favourite food is fish or Italian spaghetti pasta.