Cafe Roubaix

Jonathan Tiernan-Locke: “I’ve gained a lot of experience this year”

Jonathan Tiernan-Locke was one of the revelations of last season. Riding for Endura Racing, a Continental team, he won no less than four stage races: Tour Méditerranéen, Tour du Haut-Var, Tour Alsace and Tour of Britain. Thanks to this impressive results, he got selected for the World Championships, in Valkenburg, where he finished in 19^th place, just five seconds behind the winner. Then, at the end of the season, before his 28^th birthday, Jonathan Tiernan-Locke signed a contract with Sky until 2014.

How was his first season here? What did go right and what did go wrong? Will he ride the Vuelta? Jonathan took some time to answer all these questions, in an interview I’ve made with the help of his management company, Trinity Sports Management.

– Jonathan, how would you describe your season so far?

It hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped to be honest, and that has been down to adapting to new training methods. I have raced some big races though, and contributed to some big wins, so I am proud of that and I have learned a lot. I’m very critical of myself and expected to improve upon last year, but I also have to adapt to the level of World Tour racing.

– What were your plans at the start of the year? 

At the start of the year I wanted to focus on the Ardennes Classics as those are the type of races that suit me. I had some ongoing minor health issues throughout the spring and so I was nowhere near 100% during that time. I was able to play a support role, but not be present in the final of the races.

– What improvements do you feel you’ve made since coming to Sky? 

While I may not have improved physically so far, I have learned a great deal about riding in support of a leader. And often a leader who has gone on to win! So that has made me study every detail of how best to do the job, and to think ahead and use my initiative. In that respect I’ve gained a lot of experience this year. It’s different to previous seasons where I would be thinking of how to win the race…now I’m thinking of how best to support the team.

– In an interview we’ve had last year, you’ve said that your favourite races are the Ardennes Classics. How was your first encounter with these races? 

They were awesome! Obviously they were very challenging too, but to take part in them after having watched them on TV was very special. For each race my role was the same; cover the early escapes and then look after the leaders for the next 200km. Not so easy going back for water and rain jackets all the time when the roads are so narrow and the speed is high!

– Unfortunately, you didn’t finish a couple of races this season. Did you have health problems? 

Yes I did. Nothing major, but there was always something coming up every few weeks. In the past few years I’ve been quite healthy, but I think because of the extra fatigue and stress this year, my body didn’t cope very well.

– Are you still hoping to ride the Vuelta? 

No, not any longer. A few weeks ago I had a discussion with my coaches and we decided that I needed a break and a different approach to training, as I was tired. Since joining Team Sky I had trained in a new way, but also more volume and intensity. In the past I have always been a rider who has believed in training less, and being fresher at races, and this season I had just done too much. I’ve recently had a complete break and I am now preparing for the last part of the season.

– Should we expect to see you at the World Championships? 

I hope so. Obviously Britain has a lot of good riders to choose from these days, but I’m sure I could play an important part in the team if I was selected.

– What’s your opinion on the profile of the road race?

Very hard…for the pure climbers I think. Probably too hard for a punchy rider like me to be there in the final, but I think I can be useful for most of it.

– After the wins of British riders in the last years, how is cycling regarded in the UK?

Cycling in the UK has really taken off in the last couple of years. The results now regularly make the sports news headlines and everybody knows the names of the top riders. The Tour of Britain was very popular last year, and I see many more people out cycling on the roads these days…it’s a great time to be a professional!

– Do you think more and more races will appear now, as was the case with the RideLondon Classic? 

Perhaps, and of course with the Tour de France visiting Britain next year I hope that will lead to more races like the RideLondon Classic. We are still in difficult economic times, however. It seems that the popularity of non-competitive cycling events – such as sportives – has surpassed that of the races. With more and more people taking up cycling and looking for a new challenge, these events are great; well organised and accessible to all. For example, the charity 100 mile ride at RideLondon was a high success.

Matej Mohoric: “I dream of winning the Giro”

In 2012, at the World Championships, Matej Mohoric won the gold medal in the Junior Road Race, a perfect ending for a season that was already impressive for the young Slovenian, just 17 years old at that time (he was second in the individual time trial at the Worlds and had seven victories in UCI events).

The win from Valkenburg caught the attention of numerous big teams, and a year later, Matej Mohoric has signed with a World Tour one. Which team is it, what are his objectives for the future, and many more, in the following interview I’ve done with Matej at the beginning of this week.

– Matej, when was your first contact with cycling?

It happened 12 years ago. Before that, I used to practice swimming. My neighbour encouraged me to start cycling and I really liked the sport. I wanted to go for mountain cycling, but then decided for road cycling, because there was no mountain cycling team near my home. I really wanted to start and my parents wouldn’t let me from the start, because it was quite dangerous for a small child to go on a two hour ride alone. But soon they saw my desire and they let me start.

– How were the first years in Slovenia?

Well, I was small and weak as a child. I could ran fast in school compared to my schoolmates, but I was absolutely not strong. I had from the very beginning good technical skills on the bicycle. I developed that alone, I tried to do tricks as soon as I got my first 26’’ bicycle. When I was just nine years old, I was able to do a 100 metre wheelie, with both hands on the handlebar, of course. My first results in cycling showed I might have a talent for this sport. Even though I was not strong enough to clip-in my shoes with the pedals, I finished 6th in my first race, 3rd in my second and 2nd in my third – I rode all these races clipless, I was a bit too ashamed to tell it to my trainer. After that I did it anyway and got another pair of pedals. However, I had to wait for another four months, until the August of that year, for my first win. Although I was good on the climbs, the first race I have won was completely flat.

– What is the level of cycling in your country?

Cycling in Slovenia is a phenomenon. We have around 6-7 teams that develop riders of U17 and below, 4-5 teams developing juniors/U19 and only three Continental teams. One of them, Adria Mobil, is pretty good, also high in the UCI rankings and well-organized. The second one, Radenska Rog, has only U23 riders and is also well organized and has for now enough sponsors to keep going. My team, Sava, is the third and this is probably the last season in which it has a Continental license. But on the other hand we now have 10 riders in the World Tour level this year and another 3 in the Pro Continental level, which is huge for a 2-million people nation.

– What kind of a rider are you? What are your main strenghts?

I’m good on the climbs and sometimes in the time trial. I am also good in cornering and downhills, which is probably also part of the reason why I’m good in the time trials. I also like the heat and warm or even hot weather. I do not like cold, especially combined with rain or even snow. However, I am not bothered by rain in the Summer months, when it is usually still warm. I like that indeed, because in those conditions I can make bigger gaps on the downhills when in break.

– In 2012 you’ve had an excellent season, which you ended on a high note, after you won the Junior Road Race at the World Championships. How was that race, how did you feel after that win?

Last year my season really was great, especially the second part of it. The truth is that I crashed badly in the first part and was unable to train for a good week, so I missed out making a good result in Nations Cup races which were all taking part in the earlier part of the season. However, I made up for all the bad luck in the Summer and the Autumn, with wins in Giro di Lunigiana and Giro di Basilicata and, of course, with silver and gold medals at the Worlds. I was astonished after winning the Worlds, I couldn’t believe what I have done.

– Almost one year later, what improvements would you say you’ve made?

I have improved my climbing for sure. But it is true, because of that I didn’t improve so much in time trialling. I am now also much more resistant, because races here in the Elite category, where I compete the most, are much longer, sometimes twice as long as the ones from the Junior category.

– What’s next for you this season?

I am now preparing for the Tour de l’Avenir later this month. I hope that I can do well there, I will give my best and then we will see. The second goal of course is the World Championship again. This time it takes part in Firenze and there will be a lot of climbing, which might suit my characteristics.

– And how about 2014, will you go neo-pro, as rumoured, with a World Tour team?

Yes, next year I am turning pro with the Cannondale Pro Cycling team. I am very happy and looking forward to cooperate with this great team. I am a bit nervous too, but I think I will manage the task and meet their expectations.

– One more question: what race would you like to win in the future?

I dream of winning a three-week race, like the Giro d’Italia.

Pascale Schyns: “I vote for cycling”

At the end of each Tour de France stage, the winner and the overall leader can be seen at the press conference in front of dozens of journalists from all over the world. Since not all the riders speak English, the international language of cycling for some time, there is a need for someone to translate what they are saying. Here steps in Miss Pascale Schyns, who is doing this for almost two decades, recommended not only by her experience in the field, but also by the six languages ​​she knows very well: English, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and German.

I contacted Miss Schyns after the end of the Tour de France for an interview, and she has been kind to answer my questions, which covered many topics, from the 100th edition of the race, to the fight for the presidency of the International Cycling Union, between Pat McQuaid and Brian Cookson. What came out, you can read below.

– Miss Schyns, I know that you are the official translator of the Tour de France for almost two decades. Can you please tell me how you started working here? 

To make a long story short, after being a cyclist for five years and finishing my studies I started working now and then in cycling mostly like a translator and doing radio tour in several races. On the occasion of the track and road World Championships organized in Sicily in 1994, I was press officer Claude Sudres’ assistant. I believe he was happy with my job because when the Tour de France started looking for an official translator he recommended me to his son, Philippe, who was the press chief of the Tour de France. My functions in the Tour de France started in 1996.

– How were things before the Tour de France had its own translator? 

There were no translations. French was at that time the only official language in cycling, so people were supposed to speak French otherwise they had to manage to find somebody to help them translating the interviews and the press releases. After Lance Armstrong won stages in Paris-Nice and in the Tour in 1995 they understood cycling no longer belonged only to France and Europe. More and more riders and journalists spoke no French at all. It was time to start thinking about translating! Now the situation is completely different. English is the most spoken language in cycling and most of the time I have to translate French, Spanish, Italian or whatever into English, no longer into French. French is of course still the official language of the Tour but no longer of cycling.

– You know six languages, the most important in the world of cycling. Still, have you encountered any problems in the past with some riders, because of their way of talking?

When you translate a rider (or a journalist!) for the first time, and if he has a strange or particular accent, the first minutes can be difficult, the time of getting used to that. I remember the first time I listened to Neil Stephens, for example with his very strong and typical Australian accent. The first interview with Mark Cavendish I almost lost track. But I think that’s because he also lost track! He had something he wanted to say so he did not answer the question – he just went on about something completely different. I was not sure I understood the right thing. Fortunately later he told me the translation was correct.

– Can you please tell me how a normal day looks for you during the Tour de France?

My job for the Tour de France consists in being present at the village in the morning to assist Christian Prudhomme in his interviews each time he requests translation. But not only Christian! Bernard Hinault for example is also a much requested man. Some journalists also ask me to help them translating riders’ interviews, live or recorded ones. Once the start is given I head to the finish to follow the last kilometers of the race on TV. It is important to know what happened during the stage because it can be very useful for the translations. After the finish I accompany the riders in the mixed zone and translate their terms to the journalists who request it. After that I take the stage winner and the yellow jersey to the “Video interview space”. Some journalists come there to attend both conferences live but they have also the possibility to remain in the press room as a system of video give them the possibility to see and hear everything from their seat in the press room. They have also the possibility to question the riders at distance. Once this is finished I go to the press room and help some journalists who would like me to translate what was said in their own language.

– What do you think about the 100th edition of the Tour de France?

It was a really nice and exciting one. Chris Froome was definitely the best but his team was not and many things could have happen and indeed happened. The situation was uncertain till the last moment and finally we this year saw riders who were not racing only to take the second place in Paris but were ready to take risks to try and win the event.

– As a spectator, what were the biggest surprises (positive and negative) from your point of view? 

I always see the positive aspects of things and try to make the best of it. If there were negative aspects I already forgot them. Very nice is to see the emergence of young riders who make you believe in the future of cycling like Nairo Quintana for example, even if it was not a surprise for people following his progression since he was already the best in the Tour de l’Avenir. A surprise could be the fact Mark Cavendish is no longer unbeatable in the sprints but that is also a good thing because sprints will be the even more exciting: expectation till the last centimeter and I am sure the British rider will find a way to come out of this and win many other stages in the Tour de France. I hope so because he is so unpredictable from the moment he launches his sprint that you really enjoy watching how it will unfold.

– Many journalists have accused Chris Froome of doping. Do you see this as something normal, unavoidable, because of the times we live in? 

I don’t see it normal at all, but yes indeed it is unavoidable. People cannot avoid thinking about what happened the last years. But somebody must win the race, right? With or without doping somebody is supposed to be stronger than the other ones or not? Or do people want all the riders crossing the finish line at the same time hand in hand?

– Is the UCI also responsible for this climate? If so, how much is its fault? 

Of course, it is. First of all for closing their eyes during so many years because it was their own interest. Later by making a priority of anti-doping and controls not at all because they care about riders’ health but only because of economic interests. And then accusing and putting discredit on riders, like it is the case with Lance Armstrong, in order of protecting themselves. The UCI is not the only one that is responsible but for sure it is the organization which could prevent and fight against it a long time ago because they knew. Of course they knew. And cycling cannot stand that anymore.

– Pat McQuaid is seen as the person who damaged cycling the most. But is he the only guilty one? 

He is not the only one. The world was not born with him. Fortunately. But during the last eight years he was at the head of the organization which is deciding of our sport. And look at the results! I am not speaking about doping only. European cycling is dying: how many races, how many teams, how many sponsors disappeared? Globalization? Yes it is a wonderful idea but in many cases it is just a word, promises, because the UCI cares only of countries where there is money enough so that they can do profit. There is no real long-term project. They ask World Tour teams to give bikes to help “poor countries”. And a few weeks before the elections you see that the UCI is distributing those bikes to countries that will have a vote in the next elections, and not precisely the poorest ones. Besides that, do you think giving a poor country of Africa for example will help them developing their cycling? Such fragile bikes will broke after just a few kilometers on their roads. What they need is more cyclists, coaches, technicians to come to the Cycling Center to be formed and qualified coaches going to those countries to help the federations in their job. But of course there is no money for that. Everything is going to anti-doping, to useless commissions which disappeared after a few months…

– Beside a new president, what do you think is needed in cycling in order for something to change? 

Transparency is for sure compulsory to restore cycling’s credibility. Anti-doping must be completely independent. And real globalization is the third point. By real globalization I mean aiming at develop cycling on the five continents not to use it to make money out of it.

– Do you believe that the national federations are really willing to change Pat McQuaid? Can they do that or is his influence too big? 

It depends which ones! The ones which care for cycling, which like cycling and want to save and develop our sport instead of letting it die, for sure they will vote for change. The ones which president cares only for his personal interest, the travels he can do for free and the money he can put in his own tasks, for sure they are very happy with the current situation.

– What are your predictions for this sport, what do you think will happen if Pat McQuaid/Brian Cookson will be elected?

I am a very optimistic person. I am really fond of cycling. The case is very simple. People have the possibility to choose between death and life, between Pat McQuaid and Brian Cookson. I vote for life. I vote for cycling. So let’s hope Brian Cookson will be elected.