Cafe Roubaix

Tao Geoghegan Hart: “Riding for Bissell will be a huge challenge”

One of the most brightest talents that will race next season in the U23 ranks, Tao Geoghegan Hart had an impressive series of results in 2013. His adventure started in the Junior Paris-Roubaix and ended a couple of months later, in Firenze, where he raced the Road Race at the World Championships. In just half of year, he won two stage races (Tour of Istria and Giro della Lunigiana) and made sure of showing his potential, thus convincing Axel Merckx to offer him a contract at Bissell (ex-Bontrager).

His 2013 season might be over, but Tao Geoghegan Hart already strated preparing for next year, when he wants to make another important step on the road he hopes will get him in the pro peloton. What are his thoughts after his last season as a Junior and what objectives he has for the future? Find out from the following interview.

– Tao, first things first: why cycling?

At first, cycling was just a great way to get out of the city. To be able to go into the countryside and explore everyday was and still is pretty special. Once I started to delve into the sport the history and culture also really appealed to me, there are so many extraordinary people to meet and stories to be told. However, mostly cycling simply serves as a great way to test myself day in day out, to push myself and find new limits, even if that is an overused cliche – because it is a good one I guess!

– Was there a person who inspired you in the beginning?

I started aged fourteen after playing football and swimming, however cycling was a completely different sport and I really loved that. Since I was young, regardless of the sport, my parents have inspired me. They work so hard and have always allowed me to do my own thing without any pressure, whilst intentionally or not, quietly setting an example of how to lead your life. Neither of them have any sporting background whatsoever, but I think they could have been great athletes, they have drive and determination by the bucketload, I see that every single day.

– How where your first years in the sport?

Well, I came last (maybe it was second from last?! I need to look it up before I tell this story any more times!) in my first race! I was lucky that after only a year of racing I was taken into the British Cycling system aged fifteen, that brought me on more than I can really express in words. I went from never having ridden the track to riding the European Championships and then later World Championships within a few years. Their programmes are without a doubt some of the best in the world, so to be a part of the Talent Team (under sixteen) and Olympic Development Programme (under eighteen) was really an amazing experience. I won’t ever forget the lessons I learnt and the great working relationships I had with my two coaches, Stuart Blunt and Matthew Winston. But before the help from British Cycling, in my first proper year racing, I simply threw myself in the deep end. I raced under sixteen races out in Belgium having never really done any high level racing before, that was a new experience at the time! I have the late Alan Rosner and another great mentor of mine, John Barclay, to thank for all the advice and racing they gave me throughout my career thus far. I would like to think the results I have gained so far have been a few years in the making, a reflection of all the different help I have had. But I am far from done!

– 2013 was a great season, with many wins and good results. Are you satisfied with how things went?

When I am satisfied I think it will be time to hang up my wheels. I met almost all of my goals for the season, however it wasn’t all that great. Personally I felt I under performed at the World Track Championships and that was really gutting. We think I was a little ill at the time, but regardless, I was really disappointed that all the hard work I put in in the months prior to the Worlds didn’t really show, or at least I felt like I didn’t show. Fourth in the Team Pursuit just wasn’t what we wanted. In general, I don’t really like to dwell on good results, I am really hungry to show myself again next year in the U23’s and seniors – that is the main thing. You are only as good as your last race, as they say.

– How important was the win in Giro della Lunigiana, a race won in the past by riders like Gilberto Simoni, Damiano Cunego or Vincenzo Nibali?

If I am honest, at the time it wasn’t really that important. We were using the race as preparation for the World Championships so the result was a little less crucial, the concentration on getting the hard work in and attempting to perfect the processes, as a team, that we had been putting in place all year. I really respect the heritage and history of the race and it was a great event to be a part of, however in the grand scheme of things it was just another step toward my dreams and ambitions. However, yes, to win another stage race after my victory in the Tour Of Istria in April, that was pretty cool. I had a great team around me, I enjoyed winning it with them more than anything else, especially as it was just before we all headed our separate ways and into the U23’s.

– Do you have any regrets after what happened at the World Championships in Firenze?

I do and I don’t. I had really big goals for the race, however there was nothing I could have done. To snap a chain that was less than a week old and had been checked and rechecked again and again, that is simply a part of the crazy sport of cycling. Afterwards I told myself, as a fan of the sport, it is the millions of things that can happen in a race that make it so exciting, it is that uncertainty that makes me love the sport. It was true then and it is still true now, I just have to accept that these things happen and move on, which I have done. It will certainly add fuel to my fire this winter.

– A couple of days ago, your transfer to Bissell was announced. What made you accept that offer?

I spoke with Axel a couple of times a few months ago and from those conversations forward my mind was set, I really wanted to be a part of his programme. At the beginning of the year I had a small dream to join the team and it ended up coming true which is pretty cool. My good friend Alex Dowsett also rode for the team, he gave me a lot of advice and that made me a lot less nervous for what is a pretty big life-change! It also helps that Nathan Van Hooydonck, another really close friend of mine, is riding for the team – I can’t wait to race alongside him. Ultimately, though it was my own decision, there were quite a few different exciting options, but I am really looking forward to working under Axel and racing for the team. I think it will be a huge challenge, but I am really excited to give it my all.

– What will your objectives be for next season?

Personally I want to contribute as much as possible to the team, to learn about the races and try and show the teammate I can be as much as possible. If I can gain experience, improve as a bike rider and help out some of my older teammates, I think it will be a successful season. I am always ready to grasp any opportunity, so I will wait and see what happens!

– And speaking on long-term, what races do you dream of winning? 

I dream of becoming a professional bike rider. The races that really appeal to me are Grand Tours and the hilly classics, although Paris-Roubaix is also super cool. Past that I think I will have to wait and see what comes my way!

Toms Skujiņš: “I want to show that I belong with the best”

This year, Latvian cycling received a boost at the U23 category, and one of the riders responsible for this is Toms Skujiņš. Only 22 years old, the cyclist from Carnikava had three wins, the most important of these coming in the overall classification of the Peace Race. It wasn’t the only highlight of the season for Skujiņš, who raced also the World Championships in Firenze and finished the road race 5th.

A strong rider, who isn’t afraid of pain, hard one-day races and mountains, Toms Skujiņš now hopes to get a contract in the pro peloton, in order to show on the big stage what he’s made of. If you would like to know more about why he got into cycling, what he thinks of his results so far and what are his dreams for the future, read the following interview.

– Toms, how did you start cycling, what made you choose this sport?

I was doing all kinds of sports before I started cycling. I started with judo, went to ice hockey and then played floorball. But when I was playing floorball it was a bit too easy. My sister’s boyfriend (Janis Kaupe) at the time was really keen on cycling and he took me to my first MTB race. I loved it. The freedom, the adventure, it was a real challenge, so at first I started racing MTB and then a few months later, another friend (Reinis Simanovskis), who was already training in road cycling, took me to his coach and I started training with that group.

– Who supported you in the beginning?

The club I joined had almost everything. In the beginning you got a shitty bike, when you started showing you were good, you got a better one, then if you really could hurt everyone, you moved another level up and so on. They also had some shoes, clothes and other stuff. I also got some accessories from friends, and a few things my parents bought me.

– After a very good 2010 season, you started riding for La Pomme Marseille and finished 2nd in the Tour of Flanders. How would you rate that performance from back then?

The 2nd place in Flanders felt like a win. I was super happy, because we went 2nd-3rd with a really good friend of mine. And because it’s a race where everyone watches the names in the top 6, I think it was better that we both got on the podium, then one of us win, and the other one arrive outside the top 10.

– Still, after another season with the team, you were dropped by them. Why was that?

In short, I was dropped due to the lack of results. If you look back at 2011, I really had almost nothing. Races when I was feeling good I just missed even a whisker of luck. But still the relationships with the manager are good. It was nothing personal, just business.

– This year, you’ve had some very impressive results, like winning the Peace Race, after attacking in the last stage. How was that win?

That was a really pleasant win. Especially, because of the treatment I got in the bunch after the first part of the race. I was alone, because the other guys from the team got dropped fast and no one would give me a millimetre in the bunch. I knew I was going good, but I didn’t know that it could be that good. The plan was easy though. Get away from the group and then be smarter then the guys in the break. Ok, it wasn’t a Nations Cup race, but still the field had really good names. And also it was quite a big hit in Latvia, because the Peace Race has traditions and was a huge race in the Soviet Union.

– You raced also the Tour of Norway and finished 10th, ahead of many well-known pro riders. Did that result gave you confidence for the future?

Yeah, for sure. When you are climbing with Laurent ten Dam and Bauke Mollema you know that you’re not the worst climber. That race for sure helped me to win the Peace Race a week later.

– Then came the Tour de l’Avenir and another top 10. Were you satisfied or do you think you could have done better?

L’Avenir was also one of the good weeks this year. I was a bit tired going into the race, but I kept my cool during the first stages and just sat in the bunch. When the first mountain stage hit I had a bit of technical problems and combine that with the fact that I hadn’t ridden in long cols for a really long time I lost a lot of time on the last climb. At that moment a 20th place on such I stage I was super pleased anyway, but when on the last stage I could attack the maillot jaune group and get a good gap I knew that if the race would have been a few more stages in the mountains I could have climbed up the top 10 more.

– One of your most impressive results in 2013 was finishing 5th at the World Championships, despite some serious knee problems. What are your memories from this race, was it above your expectations?

Worlds were above and beyond my expectations. 100%! The memories from that race won’t ever go away. Before the start I had 0 expectations. I hadn’t ridden the previous two days, just to let the knee rest. But even then when we started it hurt like hell. It felt really like someone was playing a guitar on your nerves, just from time to time he would pull on a string and you would feel the pain in your brain. But when we got to the laps I started to concentrate on the race, the knee warmed up and I could block out the pain. But it was still there and the last two laps I was sending mind signals to the bunch to go faster, because I was feeling that it’s starting to get worse and worse again.

– Over the years, you showed your huge potential in stage races, but also in one-day races. What kind of rider do you see yourself becoming in the future?

At L’Avenir and Norway I saw that my recovery is really good, so it would be a pity not to use it. But I have the head and the capabilities to ride one-day races with the best, so at least for now I will definitely do both with 100% commitment.

– And what race do you dream of winning?

To win a classic or any week long stage race would be a dream come true. The hilly classics, the cobbled ones, Tour de Suisse or a stage in a Grand Tour, I wouldn’t care.

– What are your chances of turning pro next year, considering the financial problems of more and more teams?

Chances are not that good. You can tell that it’s because of all the teams folding or that there are no new teams being built, but in reality there are a lot of U23 guys that get contracts, if you’re not one of them, then I guess you are not one of the best. But I’ll stay optimistic until I sign with a team for 2014, and then I’ll just do my very best again to show that I belong with the best in 2015.

– And what will you do if you don’t get a contract? Any back-up plan?

Yeah, for now I am talking with a few continental teams that would like to have me, so I won’t get kicked out of the sport I guess.

Gianni Savio: “Nibali was the strongest, Rui Costa was the smartest”

After the World Championships, I talked for a couple of minutes with Gianni Savio, the manager of Androni Giocattoli, and also commissario tecnico for the national team of Venezuela. Here is what he had to say about the 80^th edition of the competition and the plans of his commercial team for the next seasons.

– Mister Savio, are you happy with the Venezuelan riders in this World Championships?

I am satisfied, because Yonder Godoy was in the breakaway, and his action meant a good promotion for Venezuela all over the world. I explained to him in the morning of the race that it was important to go in the first breakaway. It was also important for him, because it was not easy, especially for a young rider, let’s not forget he is only 20 years old. So, compliments to him! You remember the objectives were to have two riders at the finish, Carlos Ochoa and Jackson Rodriguez. Unfortunately, they were involved in two crashes, had mechanical problems, so they retired. We felt sorry for this, because we prepared very well the World Championships, but the race was very difficult: 25 nations didn’t finish it, 147 riders abandoned, among them the winner of the Tour de France and the winner of the Vuelta, the 2011 World Champion and the winner of the 2008 Olympics. I think that without the crashes we would have finished the race with our two riders.

– Do you think that the course was harder the most of the riders expected? We could see that the Classics riders had problems.

As I said before, Fabian Cancellara and Philippe Gilbert were the main favorites, so I must say I was surprised to see them distanced on the climbs. Still, let’s not forget that in a one-day race anything can happen. Overall, I don’t think the course was the main problem, but the rain, that caused many difficulties and crashes.

– What do you think of the fight for gold?

Vincenzo Nibali prepared very well the race, but he had bad luck, because he could have won the rainbow jersey, if not for that crash. Regarding Spain, it is unbelievable, really unbelievable what happened with that team. Alejandro Valverde should have followed Rui Costa, his lack of reaction was a big mistake. On the other hand, maybe it wasn’t a mistake and he didn’t have the legs to go. Only Valverde can answer this question.

– Were you surprised by Rui Costa?

Not really, because he won the Tour de Suisse twice and also stages in the Tour de France. People know he is a good rider. In Firenze, the strongest rider was Nibali, and Rui Costa was the most intelligent.

– Mister Savio, the world champion will ride for an Italian team next year, but let me ask you: what’s the future of cycling in this country, with so many financial problems?

I really don’t know. As I see it, anything can happen in the near future. Concerning us, we are relaxed: Androni sent to the UCI all the documents for the registration as a Pro Continental team next season, while in 2015 or 2016 we could step up in the World Tour.

Moreno Hofland: “I want to do the Spring Classics next year”

2013 was the first season of Moreno Hofland in the World Tour. The Dutch rider, a stage winner in the Tour de l’Avenir while riding for the Rabobank Continental Team, signed a contract with Belkin last year and got the chance to ride many important races. Despite the fact he didn’t got a win, Moreno Hofland showed his potential by finishing a couple of stages on the podium, in the Tour of Turkey, Danmark Rundt and the Tour of Alberta. Now, before a well-deserved break after a long and hard season, Moreno took some time to answer a couple of questions for Cafe Roubaix.

– Moreno, how did you start cycling?

My father was a rider (ed. Peter Hofland, second in the Amateurs National Championships and Ronde van Limburg) a long time ago, and after I started swimming, at the age of 14 I was getting bored, and my dad suggested cycling. I started training in a small team from my neighbourhood, I liked it, I loved it immediately, I got fast and that was it.

– When you were young, did you have a rider that you admired?

When I started, I liked Lance Armstrong, but afterwords we know what happened. I admired the way he trained and fought, that inspired me. This is what I liked about him.

– I know that in your first years as a rider you did some cyclo-cross. How much did that help you on the road?

It helped me with steering, speeding up on the hills and anticipating what’s happening in the peloton, if someone crashes. It was of good help.

– What are your main strengths?

First of all, sprinting, especially after a long and hard race. I climb well, but I have to do some improvements, especially because next season I want to race the Spring Classics. I hope to gain some experience and in the future get some good results there.

– What was the best moment of this season?

In the Tour of Turkey, where I was third in one stage. It was the first time I finished a race on the podium.

– And the toughest moment or the toughest race?

Without doubt, the Volta a Catalunya, a World Tour race in which I suffered a lot. There were climbs in all stages. I had a good start, sprinting for myself in the first day, when I finished in the top 20. Then I had to help Robert Wagner, I felt pretty good, but in the next stages, which had many hors catégorie climbs, I suffered. I finished one stage just in time, but I wasn’t fully recovered after that and had to abandon.

– You said that the Classics we’ll be your main focus for next year. Is there a Classics you would like to win the most?

A hard question, but if I had to choose I would say Milan-San Remo or Gent-Wevelgem. Both are races which can be won in a sprint from a small group. One thing is certain: for these races I have to be much stronger than I am now.

– Could we see you in a Grand Tour in 2014?

I didn’t speak with the team about this, I’ll do it next year, but I hope so, I would like to do the Vuelta, it would be nice.

Carlos Verona: “I want to win the Vuelta one day”

A neo-pro with Omega Pharma-Quick Step, Carlos Verona got to race this year in some important competitions, like the Volta a Catalunya, Vuelta al Pais Vasco, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Now, as this season is near the end, I thought it was a good moment to ask him to reflect on what happened in 2013, what improvements he made during the last months and what are his objective for next season, his second in the World Tour. Read what the young Spanish rider had to say in the following interview.

– Carlos, this season is almost over. How would you describe your experience with Omega Pharma-Quick Step?

It has been a great experience. The goal for this season was to get experience for the future and in the same time to help my teammates to get victories. I did both things and I’m happy for that; maybe I missed some good personal results, but sometimes is not possible do all the things at the same time: learn, work, help and have good results.

– What made you sign last year with the Belgian team?

My relationship with Omega Pharma-Quick Step didn’t start just last year. When I was in my first season with Burgos, the masseur Johan Molly already contacted me. I went in some training camps with the team, I met all the staff, they trusted me and I trusted them. I feel so lucky to be part of one of the best teams in the world and I hope I can stay here for a long time, because the atmosphere for working is simply perfect.

– What improvements do you feel you’ve made since becoming a pro?

I passed from Junior to Continental with Burgos BH, and after two seasons I’m already in a World Tour team. Everything has been so quick, so I’ve made a lot of improvements in a short time period. This year I feel that I’ve developed in the professional category, that I was able to work during long and hard stages for the team, that in the mountains I’m not so far from the best riders and specially that I’ve gained much endurance capacity. This year I arrived at the end with enough energy to do something else than survive.

– You’re a very young rider, who showed his climbing potential in a couple of races this season, but also at the U23 level. What are your main strengths?

I’m not sure yet, but I think that my terrain is in the mountains. Also, I like a lot the time trials: even if I did not get any good result in this discipline yet, I hope to do it in the near future.

– After this first season experience with Omega Pharma-Quick Step, what are your objectives for next year?

I want to go at least one step higher than this year. This season I’ve worked and I’ve learned. For next year, our team in the mountains is going to be stronger, with Michal Kwiatkowski and the new riders: Janier Acevedo, Rigoberto Uran and Wout Poels. I hope I can have a contribution to the team’s success by doing a better work in the mountains, and at the same time find some small races where I can get a good result. I’m already looking forward to it, but I know that with patience and keeping the good work it will arrive sooner or later.

–  In what races you see yourself as a contender in the future, what are your dreams?

My dream is to become a good GC rider and win the Vuelta one day. Dreaming is free, and the time will say how far I can arrive in this sport. I just can put passion, work and discipline to get my own limit one day. If when I get my limit I’ll win La Vuelta, I’ll also be happy. If when I get my limit I’ll help someone else to win La Vuelta, I’ll also be happy. My major goal now is to find my place in the professional cycling, work hard to arrive as far as possible in this sport, and keep enjoying this lifestyle, because I would not change it for anything in the world.

– How did you started cycling?

I started at the age of 12. I played before football, and basketball. I was good, but not good enough. I wanted something different, and for me cycling it was. The brother of my best friend started to ride bikes in a club next to our town and in the next season my friend and I started too. Once I started, I could not stop. I love to race, but especially to train. Discovering and enjoying the world while riding on two wheels is simply awesome.

– Growing up, did you have an idol?

Yes. Maybe not an idol, but I had some riders who I liked. Jose Angel Gomez Marchante was the first, because he was always smiling and was friendly with the public. Also, I liked Alejandro Valverde. He was and still is a killer.

– How does a normal day normal look for you outside the races?

Cycling requires a quiet life to get an optimal performance, so my day is quieter than I would like. I always try to follow a schedule and more or less is this one: I wake up at 8 o’clock, I have a good breakfast (it’s my favorite meal), half an hour later I start training, if is possible with other riders. If the training is longer than three hours, I make a coffee/sandwich stop, if it isn’t, I come back straight to home, where I have lunch and I burn the afternoon at home with my girlfriend. When we have time, I like to travel, discover new places and in the off-season I love to go hiking with my girlfriend, Esther, and our dog, Nhoa. I prefer the mountains, but now in the summer we also like to jump to to the Catalonia Beaches.

Sean De Bie: “2013 was one of my best seasons so far”

Currently in the Tour de l’Avenir, one of the most important races for young riders, Sean De Bie took some time before going to France for an interview I have to thank also to Mister Tim Vanderjeugd, press officer for Leopard-Trek. One of the best riders in the U23 ranks, the talented Belgian recently signed a two-year contract with Lotto-Belisol, which means we will see him next year in the pro peloton. What will his objectives be and what are his feelings after this season? Find out all by reading the following interview.

– Sean, what meant for you to become European Champion this year?

I was really happy with it because I knew I can win races on this level and in the past I was always close to a win, but never on the highest place. To win a race like the European Championships makes me feel really confident for the future and gives me a lot of motivation to keep working hard.

– Were you thinking before the start at the possibility of winning the race?

I was already for two weeks in the Czech Republic, first for the Czech Cycling Tour, then for the European Championships, and also the weeks before I felt that the condition was growing up and that I would achieve the top at the EC. All was going as I planned before the season started. So the week before the EC I felt really good and had a lot of self-confidence, because I was training everyday since one week before on the circuit, it had no surprises for me anymore.

– You come from a family with a strong background in cycling. What advice did you receive from your father when you started this sport?

Not that much, my father let me learn as much as possible by myself. He knows what it means to grow up in cycling and we always discuss which road we have to follow, which he thinks is best for me to be a good professional rider.

– How was the 2013 season with Leopard-Trek?

This was until now one of the best season I’ve had. I really like the atmosphere within the group. Is really interesting to have all the guys coming from different countries and with different habits. As from the start until now I didn’t regret that I decided to stay one more year at the U23 level.

– What improvements you’ve made this year?

I made a lot of improvements physically, because I am feeling stronger. That’s the result of hard work in the winter. In the past I had a lot of problems with finishing stage races, which are a weak point, but since this year that’s also a lot better. Before this year I never had a trainer or some training plan, since this year I have and it feels that I made big improvements. Also mentally I made a big step, I can focus longer on a specific goal, and I never had a lack of motivation for training.

– Do you have any regret when it comes to the races from this season?

I have finished until now all my stage races, except one, because of a crash. I won the European Championships, which was a big goal, and also finished in the top-5 of the Tour of Flanders and La Côte Picarde, which was also a goal. Until now I achieved all my goals. And I have zero regrets!

– How do you feel knowing that next year you’ll race in the World Tour? What will your objectives be?

It’s a big relief, I feel that I did good to wait to finish the U23 category before making the big step. For sure it will all start from zero again, at a higher level. As objectives I think that the Spring Classics will be a goal. Not in the World Tour, but maybe in smaller 1.1 races I hope to be present in the final there.

– Long term, what races do you dream of winning?

I hope to become a good pro rider, with a dream to win one-day races as Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders and Amstel Gold Race.

Ralph Denk: “We want a stage win in the Vuelta”

In the first two days of the Tour of Spain, NetApp-Endura was the most active wild card team. After a 7th place in the Saturday’s team time trial, NetApp-Endura was very close on a victory in the second stage, when the peloton reached the summit of the Alto Do Monte Da Groba, a first category climb. Leopold König attacked on the last part of the climb, was joined by others three riders, and in the end finished in the 4th position. Despite losing the stage, NetApp-Endura promises to go on the attack with every occasion it will have, as Mister Ralph Denk, the manager of the team, underlined in this exclusive interview for Cafe Roubaix.

– Mister Denk, what means for NetApp-Endura the Vuelta wild card?

Our second wildcard in two years is first of all very important for the development of the team, respectively the riders. Further of course it is also important for the sponsors. They receive a guaranteed three-week brand exposure.

– You have many climbers in the team. Will your objective be a good GC or a stage win?

We will try to have good results on every stage. If we get a stage win, which of course should be everyone’s goal, we will be very happy. Currently we are not looking at the GC. We will see how it goes after the first week. Also, we will not be concentrating from the start on a certain jersey. We have to see as the race goes on if we can do that.

– How much will it weight the fact that many of your riders will be at the debut in a Grand Tour?

We will find out when we arrive in Madrid. The riders are more than motivated and I hope that this will compensate their inexperience and they will all finish in Madrid.

– From which of your riders do you have big expectations, who can surprise us all?

My expectations are lying on the whole team. For us it is not important who secures the win, since it will always be a team’s effort.

– What’s your opinion on the parcours of the race?

The course is tough as usual, but we also ride through the most beautiful parts of Spain. I think it is a great platform for Spain to present itself.

– How are things looking for next season?

What I can say now is that all the riders currently participating in the Vuelta have contracts for 2014, which is good. Anyway, in 2014 we will remain a Pro Continental team, but of course it is still our goal to go World Tour one day.

Valerio Piva: “Purito can win the Vuelta”

As was the case in the last years, Joaquim Rodriguez will start the Vuelta as one of the main contenders. Coming after a 3^rd place in the Tour de France, the Katusha rider has strong ambitions, his target being the overall victory in a race that has 11 stages with an uphill finish. After he lost the race last year despite being the strongest rider, “Purito” is determined to take the win now, a feeling echoed by his sports director, Valerio Piva, in this interview I’ve made with the help of Katusha’s press officer, Mister Paolo Grillandi.

– Mister Piva, Joaquim Rodriguez didn’t race between the finish of  the Tour de France and the start of the Vuelta. What did he do during this period?

Joaquim focused especially on recovering some energy after a really demanding competition such as the Tour de France. “Purito” was in a great shape in the last week, but the effort he made to enter the podium of the Grande Boucle was incredibly hard, so he needed and deserved some rest. Then, he started to train: he already has the race rythm, so trainings are not so demanding, they’re all about accumulating some hours of racing and preparing for the time trials, which will be crucial for the general classification.

– What would you say are his chances of finally winning a Grand Tour?

“Purito” is a great one-day race specialist, but he definitely proved to be a great rider in big stage races too, as witnessed by the three podiums in a row between 2012 and 2013 in all the major Tours – Giro, Vuelta and Tour. Unfortunately he missed some chances to win: especially I think in the 2012 Vuelta, where he was the strongest rider, but he lost because of a bad day. Anyway, he’s one of the favorites for this competition, the rivals are very strong, but our team is too, so we’ll see how’s it going to end.

– Many are saying that this edition of the Vuelta seems to not have a really big favourite. Do you agree with this?

I think there will be many strong riders, such as Vincenzo Nibali, Ivan Basso, Michele Scarponi, Alejandro Valverde and Samuel Sanchez. And let’s not forget a strong team such as Sky, which won’t have Chris Froome or Bradley Wiggins, but still will have many great riders. It will be a demanding competition.

– What do you think of this year’s route in comparison with the one of 2012?

Vuelta a España will have a demanding course, as usual, suitable to great climbers. The races against the clock will be only two, but it will be very important not to lose too much time in those stages. Then, of course, the race will be decided by the mountain stages: there will be 11 uphill finishes, with Angliru in the last but one stage. The first uphill finish will be in the second day, right after TTT; that means there will be no chance to start slowly and increase as the stages will go by, we will have to stay focused from the beginning to the end.

– Which stages will have a major role for the overall standings?

I think Coll de la Gallina, Peyragudes, Peña Cabarga and Angliru, between the others.

– After a full season, in which he raced two very hard Grand Tours (Le Tour and Vuelta), do you believe Joaquim Rodriguez will still be in top shape for the World Championships?

It depends on how he will feel after Vuelta. Let’s not forget that last year “Purito” raced the Giro and Vuelta, finishing 2nd and 3rd in the overall standings, he won Flèche Wallonne, and in the end he had enough energies to win the Giro di Lombardia too. He proved to be the most regular rider of the last years, winning twice the UCI Individual World Ranking in the last three seasons. We’re preparing very carefully these events, he will have a strong team to help him, he’s a great rider, so we’ll see.

Jasper Stuyven: “Next year I’ll ride for Trek”

Belgium has some top talents coming from the U23 ranks, and one rider who caught everyone’s attention is Jasper Stuyven. Just 21 now, he showed his potential for the first time in 2009, winning the Juniors World Championships. One year later, Jasper got another important win at this age category, in Paris-Roubaix, a race that became his favourite. His qualities and strong results convinced Axel Merckx to offer him a contract at Bontrager, and the Belgian manager was fully rewarded for his trust.

In the last two seasons, Jasper Stuyven was one of the best riders in the American squad, getting wins not just in one-day races, but also in stage races, as was the case with the Volta ao Alentejo. Now, he is ready to make another step forward and race in the pro peloton, with the new Trek Team. What meant for him riding with the Bontrager team and what are his objectives as a pro? Read about it in the following interview.

– Jasper, are you satisfied after this season? 

I am really satisfied about this season so far. I’ve been on the podium in every stage race I did (overall win, stage win, top 3 in the stage or best young riders jersey) and did very well in the Classics in the start of the season. The only thing I said before the season was that I would love to win Flanders U23, La Côte Picarde or Liège–Bastogne–Liège U23. I got caught in Flanders with 150m to go, so that was a bit a bummer, but sometimes you need some luck to win a race.

– Is winning the Volta ao Alentejo your biggest performance at the U23 category? 

I think it really is, not only because I won it, but also because it was a great team effort all week from all my teammates. They really helped me out all week and how they rode the last day for me was pretty impressive.

– How were the two years spent at Bontrager?  

I learned a lot from Axel Merckx so I’m really happy I made the decision to go to Bontrager two years ago. All the riders are friends on and off the bike and that is what makes this team very special. You’ll always do that little bit more for a friend than just a teammate.

– During those last seasons, you’ve had some very good results also in the Classics. Do you see yourself as a rider for the Spring races in the seasons to come? 

I hope I can develop myself as a good Classic rider with a good sprint. I like to compare myself with Greg Van Avermaet, good Classic riders that’s also able to ride the Ardennes and have a good sprint.

– What is you biggest dream, what race would you like to win and why?  

Since I’ve won Paris-Roubaix as a Junior, I’m still in love with that race. Actually, my biggest dream was winning Roubaix as Junior, U23 and Pro, but that’s not going to happen as Roubaix was cancelled this year.

– Will you go to the World Championships in Firenze?  

I’m working hard to go Firenze and really hoping I’ll be part of the Belgian Team there.

– What do you think you can do on such a difficult parcours?

I think it’s a hard parcours, but not one for a pure climber. To win the Worlds, you will always need a perfect day.

– Where will we see you next year?

You’ll see me in the pro peleton, in a Trek jersey.

Diego Ulissi: “My focus is on the one-day races”

Just 24 years of age, Diego Ulissi is one of the best Italian riders this season. A 7th place in the Paris-Nice standings and the overall win in the Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali were his highlights in the first part of the year, results that were followed in July by a stage win in the Tour of Poland, at the top of Madonna di Campiglio, the mountain conquered by Marco Pantani in the 1999 Giro d’Italia.

Now, Ulissi is preparing for the Vuelta, where he hopes to have a strong ride, in order to be selected by Paolo Bettini for the World Championships in Firenze. What are his objectives for the next weeks and his dreams for the future? You can find out by reading this interview that I’ve made a couple of days ago, with the help of Mister Andrea Appiani, press officer for the Lampre-Merida team.

– Diego, are you satisfied with your season so far?

I’m quite satisfied: I obtained good victories and I was competitive in almost the races I took part, also in the most important ones. Anyway, I’m aware I can always do better and I’m willing to do better. It would be great for me to get a top victory in the rest of the season.

– What was the best moment of the year until now?

The stage victory on Madonna di Campiglio, in the first stage of the Tour de Pologne: I worked hard to be ready for the start of my second part of the season and I could get immediately to the target. And what a big target!

– You’re just 24 years old and already showed potential for the stage races. In the future, in which of these races do you think you could get important results?

In this part of my career, I’m focusing my attention on the one-day races. I know I need to improve my stamina on long distances, so I’m working hard to achieve this, in order to be competitive for a victory in one great Classic. I’m still young, so there will be time to try something in the Grand Tours, but before that, there are the one-day races.

– What aspects do you feel you have to improve in order to be a contender for the Grand Tours?

I think that, first of all, it’s a matter of mind: it’s not so simple to be focused for three weeks on a big target such as the general classification in a Grand Tour. Then, as I said before, I need to improve my stamina on long distances.

– Is there any extra pressure because the Italians have huge expectations from you?

No, I don’t feel this pressure. My team is supporting me always in a perfect way, without putting me under pressure, so they allowed me to cover an improvement path that, I’m sure, will bring me to top level. I think I’m near this level.

– What race do you dream of winning in the future?

I have many dreams, it’s difficult to choose one. One Classic race in the Ardennes will be a good dream to try to make come true.

– What’s your programme until the end of the season?

My next appointment will be the Vuelta a Espana, then I’ll take part in the World Championships if I’ll be called up in the National Team. In October, I’ll race in the Giro dell’Emilia and Il Lombardia.

– Speaking of the World Championships, what do you think of the profile of the road race?

Very interesting and demanding. In the final part of the circuit, in via Salviati, there’s a hill that could be perfect for an attack: it could be a winning attack if some riders will be brilliant.