A DREAM DAY

I am Michela, a triathlete for passion … but with cycling in my blood. I had the opportunity to take part to a riding day with a pro World Tour racer to test the new SportPlusHealth platform. For me this was like a dream coming true. Do you want to know what emotions I have felt? Here’s my story … of a special day.

« Well, when they asked me: do you want to ride with Davide Martinelli? The answer was just one: sure yes!!! But let’s hope that he will wait for me!! How to say no to a ride with a pro cyclist in the wonderful scenery of Livigno, a paradise for athletes?

And so we organized this trip. Thanks to the advice of Pietro (my tutor at the University of Pavia), we book the hotel (Alpen Village, a well known accommodation for many cyclists, especially from professional teams, including Sky and Quick Step), and a few days later me and my colleague Paolo are leaving for Livigno, enthusiastic.

Once we arrive, we start with a fast workout. This is almost imperative in a place where landscape and climate invite you to enjoy it. Once back, we take a shower before eating and having a brief with Pietro Illarietti, Angelo Dariol, designer of SPH, and his software developer Nicolas, to plan the next day. It was a chat as pleasant as intense, full of ideas. Later Davide Martinelli arrived, after his workout, and the brief continued with him. A 24 year old boy, nice and very purposeful, simple but strong, chosen as SPH’s testimonial, who immediately shows his availability for the experiment. Everything is ready, so we say goodbye until the next day at 13:00.

The following day I leave the hotel Alpen Village with Davide to start our ride, followed by the team car with Pietro, Nicolas, Paolo as coach and Rebecca who is Davide’s girlfriend. They will record and analyze our workout in order to measure Davide’s performance in real time using the app.

After a few kilometers of warming-up, where I can keep the pace of Davide (fortunately it was a rest day for him) we take a break with our team for a few comments. Once we defined the next target, we start to face a small climb where Davide performs an interval training work, when he starts to pedal seriously while I decide to slow down.

I feel a series of emotions difficult to explain. First of all, I see what energy a cycling pro can express. It is incredible the ease with which he can push gears impossible for anyone else. And when he sprints for specific jobs, I remain speechless.

Moreover, I’m excited because I’m taking part to a test for the development of a technological product regarding which I knew all the theoretical details. Now, however, we are testing on the field the possibilities that this tool offers us. Everyone has seen in real time my heart beat, my power, my speed, and it is clearly visible that I lost the contact very soon, after a few hundred meters.

We concluded the development test with some questions about the product and a group photo.

A wonderful experience that allows me to come home happy and satisfied. See you next time!

Below the video demonstrating how the app works in real time. It’s just one of the options offered by SportPlusHealth.