Silvia Persico made her mark on the professional cycling world at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, as the 25-year-old from Valcar Travel & Service finished inside the top 10 on seven of the eight stages to finish fifth overall.

"I'm going to change teams next year, but I can't say which team yet," Persico told Cycling News at the top of La Planche des Belles Fils, which concludes Sunday's Tour de France femme.

Persico is one of the most versatile athletes in women's cycling, winning a bronze medal at the UCI Cyclocross World Championships in January. On the road, she finished in the top 10 at Strade Bianche, Trofeo Alfredo Binda, and Ghent-Wevelgem, and wore the leader's jersey at the Serratigit Festival Elsie Jacobs.

In the Tour de France Femme, he sprinted from a breakaway group on the second stage to Provins to finish second overall behind Marianne Vos (Jumbo Visma) He dropped one place to third overall before two mountain stages, the seventh stage Le Marckstein, he dropped back to sixth place.

However, Persico took advantage of the race situation in the finale, La Planche des Belle Filles, as Cecilie Uttrup-Ludwig (FDJ-Suez-Futuroscope) began to struggle on the steep slopes. Her director, Davide Arzeni, encouraged her to push harder to move up into the top five overall.

"Silvia said she wasn't feeling well today. I told her not to worry. She has been third in the cyclocross world championships and knows that when your legs are not feeling well, you have to use your heart and your head," Arzeni told Cyclingnews. [She] has a very strong heart and legs. I promised Sylvia before La Planche des Belle Filles." When I become a grandfather, I will name my child Silvia or Silvio.

"In the last 2km she told me that Cecily was struggling. This is a very good result.

Persico laughed when Cycling News acknowledged Arseny's promise. She said he had been her coach for six years and would celebrate this feat with Alzeni and Valcar Travel & Services. 'I am here now because of Davide. He encouraged me to challenge myself and helped me to do well on this team."

Persico was in a group chasing overall winner Annemiek van Fruten and second-place finisher Demi Vollering (SD Worx) on the final climb of the Tour de France Femme.

This group included Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM), Juliette Labouse (Team DSM), and Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo). Nieviadoma looked the strongest on the final gradient, but Persico sprinted and finished third.

"Going into the final climb, I tried to stay calm. I could see the other guys trying to go full throttle. I wanted to arrive at the gravel section with good legs. I started sprinting in the last 200 meters and finished third. I'm very happy," Persico said, thanking her teammates for their support throughout the eight days of racing.

She said that many people do not think she can be an overall class racer and that a top-five finish at the Tour de France would go a long way to proving her worth in future stage races. She said, "I'm very happy because I finished in the top five at the Tour de France."

Persico admitted to Cycling News that she had signed a contract with a WorldTour team for 2023, but she could not reveal which team until August 1. She said she has a leadership role with Valcar Travel & Services, but said she understands she will be working for a higher-profile rider next year.

"When I move on to the next team, I have to work, and if I get the chance, I will try to do well," Persico said, a bit emotional at the thought of leaving Valcar Travel & Service.

"Valcar is like a second family. I am the person I am today because of everyone at Valcar who has taken care of me for the past six years. I thank Valentino Villa and David Arseny. I am very happy to be part of this team."

Arzeni acknowledged that during Persico's time at Valcar Travel & Service, he worked with and learned from some of the best riders in the world, like world champions Elisa Balsamo and Marta Cavalli He was a member of the Cavalli family of riders.

He told Cyclingnews that despite their success, the team will not apply for a World Tour in the future. He intends to keep Valcart Travel & Service as a development program with the goal of becoming a feeder team for the Women's World Team.

"Silvia has had a career under big riders. Her performance at the Tour de France Femmes was amazing. I can cry now. I'm very proud of her because the focus of this team has been to produce riders like Balsamo, Cavalli, Persico. The role of this team is very important. It's easy to build a big team with money, but we started small and built something special," Arzeni said.

He said he was proud of Balsamo, Cavalli, and now Persico for making it to the Women's World Tour, and said it fulfills the goals of the program.

"It is right that Silvia will sign with a bigger team next year. She will get a bigger paycheck. We pay our riders with passion. It is logical that Silvia is ready to join a World Tour team."