Maurizio Bormolini: “In Superbike as in snowboarding you need control, speed and a clear mind”

Ones Media House

A day of speed, but this time without snow underfoot. Maurizio Bormolini, a champion of parallel snowboarding and an athlete of the Army Sports Group, had a whole new experience in the paddock of the Superbike World Championship, during the sixth round at the Misano World Circuit.

Abituated to the dizzying descents between the poles of the giant slalom, Bormolini was able to get a close look at the behind-the-scenes of a sport that, while so different in appearance, shares many similarities with his own. “It was fascinating to experience a world that, although so different from mine, is based on the same principles: control, reactivity, muscle tension and mental clarity. I felt at home even away from the snow,” he recounted at the end of the visit.

Between the most exciting moments of the day, the passage in Starting Grid before Superpole and the visit to the pits during Race 1. A unique opportunity to observe up close the technical preparation stages, pre-race management and the’meticulous organization revolving around the professional paddock.

Interviewed about the similarities between his sport and motorcycling, Bormolini pointed out, “In my opinion there is much more in common than people think. First of all, the pursuit of speed and control. When you’re in the crease on a motorcycle, you have to have sensitivity, balance and perfect timing. For us, too, it’s all about precision of movement, control of trajectory and the ability to react in real time. Like the rider when he takes a turn on the track, I have to read the terrain, anticipate the board’s reactions and find the best line.”

A key aspect that both sports have in common is speed of reaction. “We work a lot on mental and physical agility. We do exercises with lights, balls, work on hand-eye coordination. A little indecision can cost you the race. In motorcycling they do a lot of work on reflexes: I use simulators, reaction lights, and of course a lot of track. The head must always be faster than the bike.”

Finally, Bormolini emphasized the importance of the mental component: “Pressure management. When you are on the starting line and you know that in a few seconds everything can change, you have to find inner calm and maximum concentration. Even in Superbike you are often alone against the stopwatch and against your opponents. Keeping a clear mind is the real challenge.”

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