Francesca Nocera is ready to race ISDE Women’s World Trophy 2024 with Team Italy. Coming off the back of a challenging race season, finishing E Xplorer in P2 overall with Team HRC along with racing Women’s Enduro World Championship Opening Rounds before having to retire due to injury, Francesca has massive amount of enthusiasm to race the next 6 days in ISDE WWT in Spain.
Breaking a 2 year drought of Team Italy not competing in WWT, Francesca and team rider’s Sara Traini #322 and Asia Volpi #324 will have eyes fixed on scoring the best possible times in all specials to fulfill main goal of finishing the 6 day race as a Team of 3. As noted in past ISDE editions, the Women’s World Trophy has been won based on all 3 rider’s completing all 6 days, with best lap times combined.
Of equal importance, will be drawing on Francesca’s wealth of experience racing Enduro GP in the Women’s class. Starting out the season with a string of podiums – taking P3 in Women’s Enduro World Championship Round 1 Stage 2, followed by P1 and P2 in Round 2 in Portugal – Francesca banked results over specials which vary on terrain, difficulty, and speed.
Most certainly, Francesca’s diverse set of bike skills extends even further, racing E Xplorer 2024 with Team HRC this season. Having battled for the lead in the Women’s category with eventual winner – Sandra Gomez – through-out the 4 Round Series, Francesca nailed P2 overall in the final Round in Switzerland in September.
Francesca: ”It’s really been quite a “painful” season. I had an injury in less than 3 months, not due to my mistake! And this was crazy! But it is what it is… so… this happened before the Enduro GP in Italy and unfortunately I wasn’t able to race anymore and fight for the title! It took a long time for recovery, a really long time! But now I’m here, and there is no other place I would like to be!
This is my world! This will be my first six days and without any good preparation during the last months I can’t pretend to be as fast as I was. So my main goal is to have fun on the bike and give my 100% everyday, try to get back that feeling like at the beginning of the season…I really want to enjoy every single special test!”
Given Francesca’s drive and determination has provided all motivations to race, no challenges have been on the ‘not-to-do-list’. Why – well the Italian rider has faced and overcome obstacles many times over – from battling cancer diagnosis, to racing WMX, Enduro GP, and all electric Series – all of which have been guided by Francesca’s strength of mind to pursue what she loves.
Francesca: ”Yes, I’m really happy to here representing Team Italy, and I can’t thank the Italian Federation, enough for making it possible!! My rule number one is to have fun, to enjoy the time on the bike – and that’s the “secret” to not feeling the fatigue! For sure it’s going to be a hard race, with many hours on the bike! But when you are having fun everything is different! I like the special tests a lot, and I’m definitely ready to go!”
ISDE WWT October 14 – 19, Galicia, Spain. Header photo: Francesca Nocera Image: Enduro GP and Team Italy.
Words: Sharon Cox.
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