Cancellara interview
Ben Trovato
googlefish.
Q: What's the main goal for this season?
The Tour of Flanders. It's the race I'm still missing. The "Ronde",
that's real cycling. An entire nation lives for it. I've got a fan
club with 4500 members in Belgium. I'm ready to win that kind of a
race. Before that, I'll take part in the Eroica, Tirreno-Adriatico,
Milan-San Remo, Ghent-Wevelgem, Paris-Roubaix. I want to be able to
evaluate my condition in the Tirreno. Until then, it's a matter of
adding up the kilometers, getting into the rhythm, getting through
these next weeks without getting sick, or taking a fall - not like
last year.
Q: What about the Ardennes classiques, given your progression on the
hills?
They're not on my list yet. It'll depend on my condition in Belgium
or at Tirreno. I'll see if I'll be able to target an additional
week. It might be the Amstel Gold Race.
Q: After your victory in the Tour de Suisse, what ambitions do you
have for stage races?
The Tour de Suisse, that was unexpected! It was really the team that
gave me the motivation. In the end, I managed because I had faith in
myself.
Q: In 2008, you said that to go after a grand tour would require
<<changing some things>>, and that you had to decide how much you
wanted it.
The Tour de France is a dream, but a dream is not a goal. It's more
realistic for me to want the Ardennes races, the World road race. Or
the Tour of Lombardy. I've got so many courses in mind which I could
win on paper. People talk, but the Tour de France is something
special. I'd have to lose weight, muscle mass - and as a result,
power against the clock. It's a huge experiment, but with all the
other races I have in mind, I don't want to try huge experiments. I
want to dominate in different races. These last three years, few
racers have won over the whole season. People now pay a lot more
attention to me. I can do great things for cycling, for the youth,
for publicity for Switzerland.
Q: How much have you improved in the mountains?
I've always improved stage after stage. I still have the ability to
climb a few rungs. But I have to find pleasure too, otherwise I'll
lose motivation. During training, if I'd say to myself <<boy this
weather stinks>>, I'd stay home. But sometimes you still have to go
out anyway. Nevertheless, I go by motivation, by sensations, day
after day. During the training camp at Fuerteventura, we chatted with
triatheletes who calculate watts and all sorts of stuff. As a
cyclist, you're away from home 220 days of the year. So it's
important to work with your head. My big strength is a real knowledge
of when I can go well, and where my limitations are. I stick with
feelings. During the camp, I'd give up three or four minutes on some
climbs. The team understands what a Fabian Cancellara needs.
Q: Since world, you've stayed very slim. Do you plan on losing more
weight?
In 2009, I worked a lot, from the Vuelta to Worlds. But I've got the
capacity to do that for a short period of time. Afterwards, I have to
take it easy, not ride. At the end of the season, I went two months
without hard exercise. That's a lot. I let it all go, so I can find
more will, more freedom. I'm twenty-nine years old. I've already won
many victories. Some folks stop racing and come back after three
years. Me, I want to accomplish the maximum in this sport. One day,
I'll say stop, and that'll mean stop.
Q: What about your actual weight?
The soigneur's happy. I don't look at the scale. I pay more
attention to how my jeans fit, the musculature of my legs and back.
My wife will say, "hey there, careful with your weight, or else you'll
be too skinny!" Whether I weigh 87 or 83 kilos isn't important to me.
Q: Given your successes in 2009, how far will you go?
That's a good question! Sometimes, I don't know. Every year, I
accomplish a few "feats". It's a strength, to manage that.
Sometimes, you don't know your limits. Even staying within the rules,
you can push far beyond. Until you just can't turn the pedals any
further.
Q: Do you have the hour record in your sights?
I'll try for it one day. Where and when, that's still up in the air.
Adapting to the track is quite delicate. And I don't want to be all
alone in the velodrome. In the end, that kind of attempt becomes a
big deal. I can feel the feeling on a track right away. I'd rather
go after goals that are within my grasp than think about the Tour de
France. I'm still on the rail.
Q: How do you live with your status as star?
Being good, being under pressure: I know all the pages of my trade.
Racing, it's my job and my devotion. I'm glad that people support me,
but sometimes it's too much. That said, the public likes it when you
win different races. I was in yellow in the Tour, in the Vuelta, in
the Tour de Suisse. I've won some big races in a few countries. I'm
multicultural, I respect languages, traditions.
Q: Cycling has gone through some troubling episodes. When someone is
as popular as you, what's his responsibility?
My philosophy is to follow a clear line. To work as hard as I can,
while following the rules. You'll always find some black sheep, but
in the sport as a whole, the controls work. Last season I underwent
more than sixty. I don't want to brag, but few other atheletes have
been tested as much.
Q: How do you answer those who cast doubt on your performance?
I no longer listen to them. In the world, there are always people who
talk negatively, who are jealous. That's the way things are. I let
them be.
Q: But the fact that you're led by a repentant former racer also feeds
their comments.
Bjarne Riis is one of the few racers [sic] to have competed in the
years when the doping question was different. He's admitted to it: "I
did it." There it is, ciao. That's all. He's a calm person, and
people like him more than those who've said nothing. There are other
ex-pros who aren't as untroubled.
Q: Before the 2009 worlds, you worked with Bjarne Riis. What does he
mean to you?
He has lots of experience at fine-tuning your training. Precise
effort, precise rhythm behind the moto. At Mendrisio, I was at 100%.
Sometimes, it's better to be 95%. I was too focussed on the race, and
too sure of myself. On the human side, Bjarne Riis gives us the
possibility to think of things besides the bike. In a cyclist's
career, there are other important things, like living cycling as part
of a family.
Le Temps © 2009 Le Temps SA
bar
> From the Swiss newspaper Le Temps; translation errors are mine, not
> googlefish.
>
Fabian is the real deal. I'd love to see him take out the Ronde.
Thanks for posting this.
ilan
> From the Swiss newspaper Le Temps; translation errors are mine, not
> googlefish.
>
At the end, I was wondering if he was going to say that Riis wanted
him to ride at 60%.
-ilan
Bob Schwartz
> Fabian is the real deal. I'd love to see him take out the Ronde.
> Thanks for posting this.
Have you changed your position on well prepared riders?
Or is it just LANCE's preparation that bugs you?
Bob Schwartz
bar
wrote:
I didn't know I had a "position." I reserve the right to be
inconsistent, even self-contradictory, in my posts to RBR. With that
said, though, I do consider Fabian a cleaner rider than LANCE ... I
don't think there's ever even been a rumor that Fabian is a juicer.
Has there?
Scott
There is only karate-do or karate-don't. There is no karate-maybe.
To say that Cancellera is 'cleaner' implies that he may not be totally
clean, but at least he's not as dirty as others.
Scott
pb HoneyGlazed Semi-Boneless Hams
Kurgan Gringioni
"bar" <barba...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:12ba9a15-ab8d-4277...@b35g2000vbc.googlegroups.com...
> I do consider Fabian a cleaner rider than LANCE ... I
> don't think there's ever even been a rumor that Fabian is a juicer.
> Has there?
Dumbass -
Isn't his director Bjarne Riis?
thanks,
Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.
thecoz11
> "bar" <barbari...@gmail.com> wrote in message
Isn't your director Jerry Springer?
Coz
Michael Press
<b0c359cb-14b2-422c...@t31g2000prh.googlegroups.com>,
Ben Trovato <benn.t...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> My philosophy is to follow a clear line. To work as hard as I can,
> while following the rules. You'll always find some black sheep, but
> in the sport as a whole, the controls work. Last season I underwent
> more than sixty. I don't want to brag, but few other atheletes have
> been tested as much.
I know of one.
Lest my cattiness be taken for judgement, I like FC;
the wins he takes, and the way he wins.
Seems to be a straight arrow.
--
Michael Press
Michael Press
<12ba9a15-ab8d-4277...@b35g2000vbc.googlegroups.com>,
bar <barba...@gmail.com> wrote:
His performance is unreal. I do not know what else to think.
--
Michael Press
Michael Press
<b2e106aa-cc0b-460c...@o28g2000yqh.googlegroups.com>,
ilan <ila...@gmail.com> wrote:
> At the end, I was wondering if he was going to say that Riis wanted
> him to ride at 60%.
I wasn't, but wish I had.
--
Michael Press
Henry
> In article
> <b0c359cb-14b2-422c-b1e4-4b00c1b00...@t31g2000prh.googlegroups.com>,
> Ben Trovato <benn.trov...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > My philosophy is to follow a clear line. To work as hard as I can,
> > while following the rules. You'll always find some black sheep, but
> > in the sport as a whole, the controls work. Last season I underwent
> > more than sixty. I don't want to brag, but few other atheletes have
> > been tested as much.
>
> I know of one.
>
> Lest my cattiness be taken for judgement, I like FC;
> the wins he takes, and the way he wins.
> Seems to be a straight arrow.
>
> --
> Michael Press
my memory is dreadful, was it FC that went past the bike camera doing
a last-minute-too-late at the Beijing Olympics (I can't even remember
if it was the TT or road race!) at some close-to the speed of sound
rate of knots ?
ilan
> googlefish.
>
The most bizarre thing Cancellara said was in this interview with
Cycling News http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cancellara-says-tour-yellow-will-remain-a-dream-for-now
"Dreaming is important, but come on, I dream of owning an island, of
having a big house; sometimes dreams are never reality." With his
income, he can't afford a big house? I've looked at real estate cost
in Switzerland, and it's not that expensive. Or maybe it's another one
of those incorrect CyclingNews articles.
Michael Press
<aa3be406-d532-4195...@t34g2000prm.googlegroups.com>,
Henry <snogfest_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Feb 10, 11:51 am, Michael Press <rub...@pacbell.net> wrote:
> > In article
> > <b0c359cb-14b2-422c-b1e4-4b00c1b00...@t31g2000prh.googlegroups.com>,
> > Ben Trovato <benn.trov...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > My philosophy is to follow a clear line. To work as hard as I can,
> > > while following the rules. You'll always find some black sheep, but
> > > in the sport as a whole, the controls work. Last season I underwent
> > > more than sixty. I don't want to brag, but few other atheletes have
> > > been tested as much.
> >
> > I know of one.
> >
> > Lest my cattiness be taken for judgement, I like FC;
> > the wins he takes, and the way he wins.
> > Seems to be a straight arrow.
>
> my memory is dreadful, was it FC that went past the bike camera doing
> a last-minute-too-late at the Beijing Olympics (I can't even remember
> if it was the TT or road race!) at some close-to the speed of sound
> rate of knots ?
Sorry, do not remember.
--
Michael Press
HazeRider
Having met Fabian several times during the 2007 and 2008 TdFs.... and
having the chance to talk with him after several race days and after
the final in TdF 2008 I have to just say that my impression of him is
that he is one of the most straight forward, down to earth people you
ever want to meet. He is nice, honest, and just happy to see you. That
is hard to find in many top athletes. And while I'm at it, I have to
say the same for Jens Voight as well. I remember seeing Fabian at the
top of Alpe 'dHuez in 2008 after that monster pull he did for the team
through the Alps that lead to Sastre's victory. FC was as lean as I
had ever seen him. You could tell that he had just cooked his body
that day by what he put it through. Yet despite the exhaustion, he
still had time to speak to some of us that had secured rooms in the
team hotel. And, he was happy to do it. No bravado. Just down to earth
acceptance of the congratulations we all hailed upon him and some
biking talk. You might gather he's my favorite in the peleton.
Henry
>
> "Dreaming is important, but come on, I dream of owning an island, of
> having a big house; sometimes dreams are never reality." With his
> income, he can't afford a big house? I've looked at real estate cost
> in Switzerland, and it's not that expensive. Or maybe it's another one
> of those incorrect CyclingNews articles.
I've only visited CHF a couple of time and had a look in a few real
estate windows and nearly had an aneurysm! I was earning equivalent to
200k p/a in Swiss money.
Anton Berlin
>
> - Show quoted text -
it was the end of the road race and yes it was fucking amazing.