Last weekend in Pontevedra (Spain), the French team brought back three medals of different metals from the European Cyclo-cross Championship: gold in Women's Hope with Célia Gery, silver in the mixed relay and bronze in Men’s Hopes via Aubin Sparfel. François Trarieux, the national coach, returns to DirectVelo on this continental meeting and discusses the coming winter with the World Championship in Liévin in mind.
DirectVelo: What is your assessment of this European Championship?
François Trarieux: I am very happy, especially regarding the Elites and the Espoirs. In the Juniors, there are two or three things to analyze and adjustments to make to the final preparation. But I'm not worried, I'm rather confident for the future, they will increase pressure and I am convinced that they will play in front. The priority is the World Cup where there will be more expectations. We ticked some nice boxes, it's a result that roughly corresponds to what I had imagined knowing that there had been little competition previously with the whole continent as there had been no Cup round of the World.
“SHE TURNED THE PAGE”
Did you expect Célia Gery to win the title in her first Espoir year?
The conditions were specific with a very smooth circuit. She was able to play on her qualities and a good burst of speed. She waited for the last lap and especially the last U-turn as I had asked the team to run. I was banking on the fact that it would play out in the finale. She was smart. Marie Schreiber tried to make Célia fart on the flat but in the technical parts, Célia was stronger. She was an outsider, she had nothing to lose. Its status will change but we are not going to put the cart before the horse either. In Antwerp at the end of the month, she will discover the World Cup with the Elites, the transition is not always easy. In any case, she discovered the U23 category and she will continue to stay there. My vision is that victory breeds victory and confidence.
It’s a nice revenge for her after a complicated road World Cup where she came out of two falls…
She took a lot on herself to be able to withstand what she had when she arrived weakened at the World Cup with a complicated final preparation. This will help him turn the page. I would like to thank Maryline Salvetat (the FFC doctor, Editor’s note) who has made important meetings with specialists whose expertise is recognized and who has followed Celia since she left the Cadettes, in the same way as many athletes in the collective. Some people think that we take the runners and that we don't know what we are doing, whereas there is real monitoring. We are not here to do « one shot »we are also there to support athletes throughout their career. I'm asking for opinions, I don't have the knowledge. I exchange a lot with different people including my predecessors Jean-Yves Plaisance and Pierre-Yves Chatelon. Jean-Yves has a beautiful sentence displayed at the race service in Montry: “It is better to do and say nothing, rather than say and do nothing”. Célia is not the one who talks the most, but on the bike, she is efficient. The proof in this European Championship.
“DAVID IS AN EXAMPLE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE”
Aubin Sparfel is also Espoir 1 and got on the podium!
He had some success (with David Haverdings' mechanical problem at the end of the last lap, Editor's note)but when we look at the prize list, there were only three Espoirs 1 who finished on the podium of the European Championship: Mathieu Van der Poel, Eli Iserbyt and Niels Albert. Of course, we must be wary of dubious comparisons. In addition, Tibor Del Grosso and Léo Bisiaux were missing, but that still says something and it confirms what we saw last year with Jules Simon. Like Célia, Aubin, Johan (Blanc) and most of the riders in the collective, it is the typical example that we consult with the French road team as well as with their respective structures who play the game in their own right. putting great resources into performing. We work together, we anticipate breaks and rest periods, we don't pile up the challenges. When Aubin was preparing for the World Cup in Zurich, he was already doing cyclo-cross at home.
Among the Elites, Amandine Fouquenet finished 5th and David Menut 6th, this is their respective best international performance!
Amandine benefited from a very smooth circuit but she has already obtained Top 10s when there was mud. She was in difficulty at times, her confidence will be boosted. I haven't forgotten Hélène who had a very good race after a great start to the season. Even though she took to the road this year, she lacked this background to finish even better. As for David, it's the big performance of the weekend, only Clément Venturini did better in 2016 in Pontchâteau (4th) It's the result of what he was able to put in place with AS Bike and I want to congratulate them for the support just like with their Hopes who responded with Nathan (Bommenel) in the Top 5. David is an example for the young people, he does the whole season and it is a reward for his investment in the discipline. At 32, he is at the best time of his career. While he was among the Top 10 in the world in Juniors and Espoirs, he is one of the riders who were restricted for years in France and of the 90% who stopped cyclo-cross at the end of Espoirs because the teams pros didn't believe in cyclo-cross. When your DS makes you understand that you would be better off stopping cyclo-cross and favoring the road, that doesn't help your performance. He decided to end his road career and put himself in danger. He started from scratch in 2018. In a few years traveling the World Cup circuit, he returned to his best level. If he had had the same luck as Aubin and Léo at Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale or Amandine and Rémi (Lelandais) at Arkéa-B&B Hôtels, perhaps he would have had another career with the Elites. I hope that we will not repeat the same mistakes because we have a talented generation. It's important to have the Elites who pull young people up, it nourishes them. The young people did not believe that he was going to finish between van der Haar and Vanthourenhout. There is a certain form of cohesion, they were all around David and the Elites to encourage them.
“ALLOW AS MANY PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE”
What changes this season with the approach of the World Cup rounds, the start of which is set for November 24 in Antwerp?
Clément Venturini, Joshua Dubau and Léo Bisiaux do not resume until mid-November to be able to be fresh for the opening of the World Cup and with the objective of the World Cup in their sights. For the others, those who were at the European Championship, they will cut a week after Pierric. It is important to score points in the World Cup because the first two rows at the World Cup will be determined by the general classification at the World Cup. The months of December and January will be very busy. We really need to slow down in November. There is real planning and we hope it will pay off.
How do you imagine this next World Cup in France in Liévin?
The idea is already to allow as many people as possible to participate. I surveyed several professional runners who were in Nommay but it is still a little premature knowing that it is their DS who chooses their calendar. We have been talking about this World Cup for several seasons. Last year, we already had the opportunity to have the European Championship, that’s still something. Every year we have a World Cup round, we are used to big events. A World Cup boosts everyone. Everyone wants to be there and dreams of becoming World Champion at home. You are supported by an audience committed to your cause. I hope that behind it, it will carry French cyclo-cross, the young generation, and that it will not stop at Liévin. I hope it will be a great party and that we will be there.
