'You have to listen to your body and not just look at data': The journey from hospital bed to WorldTour QOM

For each article in this long-running WATT WORKS FOR ME series from Cycling Weekly's print edition, we ask a pro rider about their favourite things in training: what has helped them most in getting to where they are today. The aim is to get to the heart of the beliefs and preferences they hold dear when it comes to building form, maximising fitness and ultimately achieving results. For this edition we speak to Katia Ragusa…

How did you feel when you won the mountains classification in Australia?

It was a really nice beginning to the season, and I wasn’t expecting to feel so good at the first race. It’s always difficult to identify the goal for the race because you don’t know what level it will be, and you don’t know quite how you’re feeling yet. Plus, I came from the winter in Italy to summer in Australia and you never know how your body will react. But it was amazing to win the Queen of the Mountains [QOM] in the jersey of my new team [Human Powered Health] in the first race of the year!

Why are you going so well at the beginning of the season? Were you doing anything differently over the winter?

A lot of motivation comes from riding for a new team. I’ve found a really good environment. If you have good backing from the soigneurs, the mechanics, the director, it helps everything run smoothly. Also, I changed something in my training: most of all, I had to do shorter intervals, which I hadn’t done in the past. I’m mostly an endurance rider [Ragusa was second at Paris-Roubaix in 2023] so I had to improve my power output in shorter intervals. We did intervals of three to four minutes at VO2 max – hard for me.

How much time did you take off at the end of the season? 

Last winter was a bit troubling because I ended my season in September and had surgery – I had a problem with an artery in my leg. Then I took two weeks’ recovery and restarted really slowly, really easy just with walks, then with the bike. Everything went perfectly with the surgery.

Are you now the fittest you’ve ever been?

In this last month, I also had a good mindset – for performing, not only for training. You need a lot of things to be right – it’s like a puzzle. There’s the right rest, the right nutrition – and thanks to the new team, I have looked more carefully at things I never looked at before.

Was anything about your nutrition different?

It’s not the type of food but the timing, the right food after an effort or before a particular kind of training. More or less, we know what to eat, but it’s about when and how. One thing they taught me, for example, was to take different sources of carbs – not only pasta. We have a nutritionist [Erica Lombardi] in the team and she takes care of this area while being in close communication with the coach, so that if there’s a problem, it’s easy to identify what it is.

Since you’ve won the QOM and proved you can climb as well as challenge for Classics, will your goals be different in 2024?

No, we want to maintain my existing characteristics, so I will still aim for the Classics season and to be a support rider for the team in the Grand Tours. We are looking to improve things but not to totally change me. It’s always risky to change the natural characteristics of a rider.

How do you push hard without overtraining?

The coach has an overview of me, so everyday I can tell him if I feel tired. We also use Whoop, which is a good way of checking recovery. It’s a combination of feelings and data. But you have to understand yourself, listen to your body and not just look at data.

Do you do cross training?

Sometimes I run, but only in winter, not during the season. During the season, I maintain gym workouts, some core training and some strength – mostly leg exercises for the strength; something for the arms but not too much.

Rider profile: Katia Ragusa

Age: 26
Height: 5ft 9in
Raised: Vicenza, Italy
Lives: Vicenza, Italy
FTP: 270W
Rides for: Human Powered Health Cycling
Best results: 2nd – Paris-Roubaix Femmes (2023); 8th GC – Tour Down Under (2020)
Instagram: katia.ragusa_

Quick-fire faves

Favourite distraction on the turbo? Pumping upbeat music
Favourite place to ride? My home area, Schio, is near the mountains, so it’s perfect
Favourite parcours? Rolling and maybe with some small climbs 
Inspirational sportsperson? Gianmarco Tamberi, the Italian high jump Olympic champion
Dream race to win? Tour of Flanders
Favourite sport or hobby outside cycling? Hiking in the mountains 
Most important quality in a training partner? I ride during the winter with my boyfriend. He’s a professional mountain biker so it’s a bit of competition. He’s really light and is really good on climbs

The full version of this article was published in the 15 February 2024 print edition of Cycling Weekly magazine. Subscribe online and get the magazine delivered to your door every week.