Segafredo Zanetti caught up with Emils in Latvia, where he has been training and spending quality time with his family.
What’s your morning ritual?
I can’t imagine starting my day without a coffee, but I dedicate myself to stretching and core stability exercises before I have it. A half an hour to help the body get activated. And then, finally, my coffee and breakfast. Even during the lockdown, I kept my ritual unchanged.
How do you like your coffee?
Long espresso. In addition to the very first one, that of waking up, I usually drink two more during the morning. I know it’s a lot, but I love coffee. At home or at the races, my choice never changes.
How many coffees do you have before a race?
My passion for coffee is no different from home, but I always try to consume them well in advance of the start of the race. In most cases, I drink all the coffee during breakfast to avoid digestive problems if the race starts at a fast pace.
What is for you a ‘coffee ride’?
The coffee break is a must in every workout; it’s a moment I can’t give up, just as I never give up my favorite route on my rest day. My coffee ride lasts about an hour and a half, the time it takes to get to and from my favorite cafe. There I can enjoy my coffee, eat something delicious and healthy, and then return.
Favorite company for a coffee ride?
My best friend, Maris Bogdanovičs, also a professional rider; the coffee ride is always with him. It’s our time to enjoy together and have a chat as friends.
How much has your daily life changed during this time of the pandemic?
These have been crazy months we could never have imagined. In Latvia, my home country, we have managed to experience a relatively peaceful everyday life, especially compared to other parts of the world. My family and I have tried to limit contact with the outside world as much as possible so as not to take any risks. And that was the biggest change: my days were marked by a strict schedule with training in the morning and time at home in the afternoon. I took care of the family supplies, so my parents didn’t have to go out. Now that the situation is improving, I will start a more race-oriented training schedule. The general condition is good, but we need to get back to the top shape.
How have you been investing your free time at home?
I invested most of the time, along with my father, doing all the work on the house we’d long neglected. I think many people have done the same: garden maintenance, landscaping and tidying up, walls to paint… I mean, there was plenty to do! It was time well spent, both for the usefulness of the work and the beauty of family life.