“We had always been in rivalry”

Thursday 02nd January 2025 05:00 AM

Juliette, how is the integration into your new team going?

Juliette Labous: “It’s going very well. We had our first gathering in October with all the staff and almost all the girls, so I was able to integrate well. There is a very good dynamic in the group and it's nice. Everything is very positive for me. It feels good to be in this environment. I thoroughly enjoy it. »

This year, the FDJ-Suez finds itself with an impressive team. How does it feel to say that you are going to race in the most anticipated formation?

JL: “I think it’s a good thing. The team has proven in recent years that it is constantly improving too. And then, I think we are going to take a new step. Obviously, with Demi [Vollering, la gagnante du Tour de France 2023 qui vient de rejoindre FDJ-Suez]we are going to be very watched, but I think we are all ready for that and it will raise the level of the team even more. It will be something fun to experience and it will allow us to progress too. »

Evita Music : “It can only help to have good elements. With Juliette, we are quite complementary. Even before she joined us, we had already been together at the front in certain races or sometimes helped us ride to get back to others. There, it will be even easier under the same jersey. As someone who has been with the team for quite a few years now, I really feel that we are reaching a big milestone. It is certain that in addition to the arrival of Juliette, that of Demi will lift the whole group up. »

“On the Tour it will be 100% for Demi Vollering”

Exactly, how is the integration of Demi Vollering going?

JL: “I think it’s going well. I feel truly free and fulfilled. It's nice, we don't feel any stress at all. »

E. M. : “She is still someone who is quite calm, collected and who wants to pass on a little of her experience to everyone. I think she has no difficulty integrating into a group, but she's not someone who will take up all the space either. It's really easy to live with. »

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Have you already ticked off any goals in your head for this season?

JL: “Personally, the main objective will be to win races and help the team win races too. I don't have many victories on my record and that's still what we're looking for the most, obviously. I don't have any regrets because I've had a lot of top 5 finishes, but it's still more pleasant to win races. So I'm not necessarily aiming for a specific race, just to win more. »

E. M. : “For now, I think that the fact that Demi is coming will perhaps help us to be more liberated because Juliette, like me, has often been super focused on the general classification. And sometimes, that generates a lot of apprehension. There, I believe that everyone will especially watch Demi and we will have more openings to play for stage victories or in one-day races. »

On the Tour de France, you must now assume the ambition of getting the Yellow Jersey for Vollering…

E. M. : “Yes, there are no surprises. Obviously, Demi having already won it and finished second twice… But it must also be crazy to be able to participate in bringing back the Yellow Jersey, even as a teammate. »

JL: ” It's clear ! We always said it from the first meetings with the staff. There is no doubt about it. We will be 100% for Demi in the Tour de France because there is no choice. In fact, if we want to bring back the Yellow Jersey, I think we have to really be behind her. »

“We never got in the way”

Evita, you come from Jura and Juliette from the neighboring department of Doubs, and you are almost the same age… Do you remember the first times you met?

E. M. : “I can’t even say when it was…”

JL: “I remember it because you were a bit well-known, all the same, when I arrived (laughter). I think it was in 2011 on cyclo-cross. I came from BMX and mountain biking, so I didn't know anyone and everyone told me “Evita, she's really strong”. So, since then, we have always been in rivalry on regional races in Franche-Comté, and we have never left each other on the bike. »

Where do you ride when you train near home?

Evita Music : “I mainly drive around Lons-le-Saunier. I also like going to Lake Vouglans. There are really some really beautiful places around Château-Chalon. They're really nice little places to ride. And what's good about the Jura is that it's full of ten, fifteen minute climbs, so I can do plenty of them straight away. And there are no cars, it's really peaceful. »

Juliette Labous: “I can stay around Besançon, we already have all the Forts. They also do between ten and fifteen minutes of climbing. It's great for us, for training. Afterwards, we also have the Doubs valley where I practice time trials for the slightly flat outings. And then I love going towards Ornans, where there are climbs that are a little longer, between 15 and 20 minutes. Otherwise, we also take the Loue valley and on each side, there are some really cool climbs. It's quiet too. In terms of security, we are still in a really great region. »

Evita, for you, what is Juliette’s main quality?

E. M. : “I would say she is strong everywhere actually (laughter). No but it's true! It's not really the case for me, but she is really strong in all areas. She has no weak points for me. To make a general ranking, it's great. »

And Juliette, what is Evita's main quality?

JL: “On the bike, really pure climber quality. I think it's really one of the best out there. This is his main weapon, although it also packs a lot of punch. And outside of cycling, I would say she has no complexes. He is someone who has never set limits for himself. »

E. M. : “It’s true that I had a rather linear progression. But I often say that it's because you were a bit of my reference point, because you were a year older and so I compared myself to you. I have always tried to follow your progress. And what's also funny is that the times when we performed well, it was often when you were also at the top. For example when you won the Tour of Burgos, I came second (in 2022, editor's note). When I won a stage of the Giro (in 2020), you were by my side too. »

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JL: “It’s true that we’ve always been rivals, but really in a good way. We never got in the way. It's more in the sense that sometimes I said to myself “Ah Evita is here so I have to hang on” and I think that it's mutual and that it really pulls us up. »

“Before, it was mainly SD Worx. In 2025 it will be something else. »

You have experienced the women's calendar without Tour de France. How has the arrival of this race (in 2022) changed in your life?

JL: “It’s really a big change. Before, people asked us “Ah, you’re a cyclist, are you doing the Tour de France?” It was always a little annoying. And when we watch boys from a very young age, it makes us want them. We really saw the whole evolution. So it was really an achievement when we experienced the first Tour de France. We said to ourselves “Ah yes, okay, in terms of media coverage, it’s something completely different”. For our careers and our professional lives, it changed everything. »

E. M. : “It brought us recognition from the general public. People are starting to be interested in women's cycling, to know the names. Obviously being French, I think that helps too. From now on, the biggest objective of the season is the Tour because it remains the most beautiful race on the calendar. »

The Tour route will be extended by one stage (from 8 to 9) in 2025. What do you think of this development?

JL: “I think it’s good. We are already used to having ten days of racing at the Giro. I think we have already proven more than once that this is not necessarily a problem. For the moment it's more for the organizers that it's hard to make it longer, but I imagine that in the future it will continue to increase. That would be interesting. If we take the example of the Giro, there are often quite a few girls who start to break down a little on the ninth day. This will allow us to discover a few other limits. »

E. M. : “We shouldn’t rush things either. We had to structure ourselves, particularly on an economic level, but physically, we are capable of it. If in the future we go to two weeks, which will already be very good. We don't necessarily need to go up to three. »

The route of the Tour de France women 2025. Visactu infographic

What do you think of Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s return to the peloton?

JL: “Pauline is still one of the biggest names in cycling at celebrity level… Perhaps with Jeannie Longo (laughter). »

E. M. : “It’s true that people are still stuck on Jeannie Longo. But Pauline is also starting to come into the light. »

JL: “It’s still an extraordinary record and I think it will do good for French women’s cycling. This year, the teams are going to be really strong with the favorites quite scattered. It's going to be fun to watch. »

E. M. : “Yes, there will be a great show. Before there were only a few teams that dominated and especially SD Worx. In 2025, it will be something else. »