Cafe Roubaix

Loïc Vliegen: “I’m happy to turn pro with BMC”

Born in Rocourt, a suburb of Liège, Loïc Vliegen didn’t need too much time to put his cards on the table, standing out from his early days as a Junior, before signing with BMC Development, a team that nurtured his talent and helped him develop his qualities, thanks to which many began talking about Loïc as the new gem of the Belgian cycling for the hilly one-day races.

After a strong first half of the season in 2014 – during which he won a stage and the GC in the Triptyque Ardennaise – BMC offered him a role as a stagiaire and he didn’t disappoint, scoring top 10 placings in both Ride London Classic and the Arctic Race of Norway, both races being known not only for their tough course, but also for the weather which always makes an impact on the final classification.

Fast forward to 2015, and Loïc Vliegen’s palmares for this season already includes Flèche Ardennaise, stage wins at the Tour de Bretagne, Course de la Paix and the Tour des Pays de Savoie, as well as runner-up spots at the Tour de Bretagne and Course de la Paix, all these results (four victories, three podiums and seven top 10 placings) making him one of the most successful and consistent U23 cyclists of the year.

An impressive puncheur, Loïc Vliegen is also a very versatile rider, who seems to have an unlimited potential that allows him to make further developments in the years to come and turn into a protagonist also on the mountains. Until then, he’ll have a busy summer, as the 21-year-old recently became the third cyclist to be promoted from the US-registered team to BMC, after Silvan Dillier and Stefan Küng, and awaits his pro debut with a lot of confidence, especially after his string of successes in the U23 ranks.

– Loïc, how did you start cycling?

I come from a family of cyclists. My father and my grandfather were good amateurs and my granduncle was a pro in the ‘50s. So it was logical for me to become a cyclist.

– How were your first years, what do you remember from that period?

I began racing when I was 14-years-old and I scored four victories back then. I have nice memories of my first race, which took place in Achene (Namur), where I came fourth. It was really exciting and I was happy for coming so close of winning the race.

– As an U23 rider, you joined BMC Development. How was your spell with the team?

It was a good choice for me in 2013 to go to BMC Devo. You can’t wish for a better staff and equipment. I had the perfect environment to improve as an amateur and I learned a lot in races like the Tour du Normandie and Tour de Bretagne. Another important step for me was becoming a stagiaire last year, because by doing this I got to gain valuable experience in pro races.

– In the first half of 2015, you scored many important results, stage wins and GC placings alike. Which was the most important for you and why?

I’d have to say that the best victory of the year was Flèche Ardennaise, because it was really special for me. It was my home race, with the finish taking place just 500 meters from my house. A lot of supporters and people were waiting me to win this race, I had a lot of pressure on my shoulders and I showed that I can win this race as the favorite. This is important for me if one day I will encounter a similar pressure in a pro race. I have good memories of this event, because I’ve never seen so many people supporting me during a race. It was a really nice feeling to get the win.

– You’ve now turned pro with BMC. What does this transfer mean for you and your career?

I’m really happy to turn pro with the BMC Racing Team, because I’m in my third year in this structure and I’m content to see they have confidence in me for three years now.

– With what hopes are you embarking on this adventure?

I would like to learn a lot and to see how things are going at World Tour level. If I’ll ride with a leader in such a race, I’m sure I’ll gain experience, which will be very good for the years to come. Also, if the team will give me some freedom, I’ll try to get results in smaller races.

– And in which races will you go in the next weeks?

I’ll do the Grand Prix Pino Cerami, the Tour de Wallonie, Clasica San Sebastian and the Eneco Tour.

Tao Geoghegan Hart, guest of the week at Cafe Roubaix

20-year-old Tao Geoghegan Hart is riding his second season with Axeon Cycling, the team managed by former pro Axel Merckx, which throughout the years has put many riders on the World Tour map. Since joining the US-based squad, the Hackney-born rider – touted by many to be a future Grand Tour winner – got to take part in big events, like the Tour of California, the Tour of Utah and the Tour of Britain, as well as in some of the most prestigious U23 races out there: Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Tour de l’Avenir.

Each time, the British cyclist – who remained down to earth, despite his impressive showing – has made the most out of it, gaining experience, strengthening his confidence and scoring some nice results, which more than sure brought him on the radar of the important Pro teams. Recently, I caught up with Tao Geoghegan Hart and got to ask him a couple of questions about his 2015 campaign and the targets he has for the second half of the year.

– Tao, you’re halfway into your second season with Axeon Cycling. How was this experience?

It has been a good year so far. We have some new riders from last year, but developed a really good group straight away, which I think showed as we had results right from the first race of the season. The biggest difference has been the return of our brilliant Head Soigneur Reed McCalvin. He works tirelessly for his riders and I really enjoy being able to work with him.

– How did Axel Merckx and the Axeon project help you develop since joining them?

The team exposes its riders to a very high calibre of racing, for instance this year with California, Utah and the US Pro Challenge, we will have 24 days of 2.HC racing. This is combined with 2.2 and U23 races in Europe to give us a great variation of races in which to develop. From the climbing races to something like the U23 Paris-Roubaix, we have the opportunity to experience a wide variety of race days.

– What are the differences you’ve noticed between the European peloton and the US one?

The obvious difference is the size of the roads and how this affects the peloton. The racing in the States can be more relaxed, but not always, with some Criteriums and also tighter circuits in the American NRC races.

– You raced many big races, so I’d like to know what caught your attention while riding against the pros?

It is a very different style of race. I think switching between the U23 races and big Pro races is something that keeps us on our toes and shows us how different races can be, not necessarily in the terrain, but in the way that they are ridden and controlled.

– What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far?

I don’t think there is one thing to pinpoint. It’s all a lesson and I think the most important thing is to constantly try to absorb both experiences and information. There is always something to learn, so it is an ongoing process.

– In terms of results, which would you say that was your highlight?

I was pleased with my top 20 in the individual time trial of the Tour of California. My TT isn’t something I have had a huge opportunity to develop and I feel I have a lot of room for improvement with my position and training on the TT bike. However, my TT’s in races are improving almost every time I race, so that is reassuring for me.

– In what races will you go in the following weeks?

The first week of July I took a mid-season break. I will have a training block through the remainder of July and then race the Tour of Utah in August.

– And what goals do you have?

To keep improving. I would like to continue to target the GC in big stage races and improve upon my results so far in 2015.

Pascal Eenkhoorn: Dreaming of turning pro and winning “La Doyenne”

He’s just 18-year-old, but has already established himself as one of the most talented and versatile Junior riders in the peloton, as he can time trial, tame the cobbles, ride over the short hills and get solid results in stage races. In the past 12 months, Pascal Eenkhoorn took many impressive victories, including the Bernaudeau, an event in which the likes of Bryan Coquard, Florian Senechal or Romain Sicard have shined in the past.

Coming from the Netherlands and having a love for his métier equaled only by his ambition of succeeding, Pascal Eenkhoorn hopes to continue building an impressive palmares in the years to come on the U23 scene, in order to secure a World Tour contract at some point. More on this you can find out from the following interview he gave to Cafe Roubaix this week, while preparing for the big goals he has for the second half of the year.

– Pascal, how did you begin cycling?

When I was younger I did speed skating and ice skating, and with time I started to cycle as part of my training for skating. But I loved cycling more and that’s why I’m riding my bike right now.

– Did you have an idol back then?

My first idol was Alexandre Vinokourov, but I also like Frank Vandenbroucke, because I just love his racing philosophy and the way he always found a way to respond to the media.

– After scoring some very impressive results in cyclo-cross, you decided to switch to road cycling. How come?

I didn’t like cyclo-cross anymore and it was really hard to do road and cyclo-cross full time. On the other hand, thanks to it, I became better in handling my bike, and for that reason I see it as an advantage over other riders.

– Speaking of this, what would you say that are your strong points at the moment?

I’m strong on small hills, but I would love to improve myself in every single matter. Right now I’m just a junior and I don’t know what are my limits for the future.

– Of the victories you scored so far on the road, which meant the most for you and why?

Bernaudeau Juniors (ed. – which he won in March), because it was my strongest and longest race ever. I also had many second places during this season, but I don’t have any regrets, considering that in every race I got beaten by a better rider that moment. Just look at the ITT Nationals: I was really prepared, I rode a good race, but there was a faster cyclist and he won.

– You’re a rider who has a very clear picture of himself. Did you give a thought about when you’d like to turn pro?

Hopefully after three years in the U23 ranks I’ll make that step, but it depends on how much I can improve, of course. I know I have to be very strong to get a pro contract.

– What type of races do you want to focus on?

I want to target one-day races like Liège–Bastogne–Liège and short stage races. Actually, “La Doyenne” and the World Championships will be my biggest goals after becoming a pro.

– And how about these last months of the season?

After getting some rest, I’ll turn my attention towards Niedersachsen Rundfahrt and the Tour of Flanders, but my biggest goal will be the World Championships in Richmond, as I’ll try to end my season on a high note, as I began it.

Tony Gallopin: “I’m ready to go on the attack”

In 2014, Tony Gallopin became the first Frenchman to wear the yellow jersey in the Grande Boucle since 2011, an impressive feat for the Lotto-Belisol cyclist, who also went on to take a beautiful solo win in Oyonnax. Since then, he established himself as one of the most consistent and versatile riders of the peloton, capable of scoring impressive victories and important placings, as underlined by his showing in Paris-Nice, Amstel Gold Race, the Critérium du Dauphiné or the National Championships.

Now, after gaining confidence from all these results, the 27-year-old is ready to make another strong stance on the Tour de France, where he’ll be one of Lotto-Soudal’s leaders. But more on this and his targets for the next three weeks, in the following interview he gave to Cafe Roubaix a couple of days ago, before the start of the race.

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

Yes, I can say it was ok and I’m pretty happy with the first part of the year, as I nabbed stage victories in Etoile des Bessèges and Paris-Nice, but also had some good results in the Classics. Now that I’ve seen I can finish in the top 10 in the Classics, I really want to focus on these races in the future and finally land a big result in Milan-Sanremo or Amstel Gold Race. The most important thing is that I’ve made some really good progress in the Classics.

– What are these improvements that you are talking about?

I feel that I’m doing much better in stage races like Paris-Nice, which was obvious this Spring. I must say that I was surprised with my GC result, but on the other hand, at the end I was a little bit disappointed with my overall placing. I also felt stronger in the Classics over long distances, as my 6th place in Amstel shows. All these things are giving me huge confidence for the future.

– This year you skipped the Tour of Flanders in favor of the Ardennes. Will you follow a similar path in the future?

Yes, my focus will be on the Ardennes Classics, but I’ll also be interested in Milan-Sanremo. Anyway, this doesn’t mean I can’t try new things at some point.

– Recently, you came second at the National Championships. What were your thoughts after the race?

It was a good result and although I missed on the win, I wasn’t disappointed, because I knew I wasn’t the fastest in the sprint and it wasn’t possible for me to attack earlier. I gave my best and overall I’m content with what I got. The race has helped me find out how my legs are ahead of the Tour de France and also become more confident.

– You’re riding the Tour de France for the fifth time in your career. What do you think of the course?

The race is nice and it reminds me of the one in 2014. The last week is really difficult, but until then I’m sure I will have some chances on the Mur de Huy and Mur de Bretagne.

– And what goals do you have for the race?

To be sincere, my best result will be to win a stage and for sure I will try to take one. I will also help André Greipel in the sprints; basically, my role in the team will be more or less similar with the one I had last year, except that now, as we don’t have a GC rider, I’ll get more freedom and more opportunities to go on the attack.