Rider interview: Zdeněk Štybar has began a brand new chapter of his profession with the Jayco-Alula workforce. At one time he was the person to beat on the cyclocross tracks, however he made the transition to the street earlier than it was the trendy factor to do. Alastair Hamilton managed to meet up with the Czech rider after too a few years.
We managed to have a chat with Zdeněk Štybar days earlier than the Benidorm World Cup cyclocross
Tom Pidcock, Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel have come from the cyclocross world to carry out on the prime on the street, nevertheless it wasn’t that way back that Zdeněk Štybar was World cross champion and profitable races just like the Eneco Tour, E3 Traditional, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Strade Bianche and phases within the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. Then there was additionally two second locations in Paris Roubaix. After a few years in Patrick Lefevere’s workforce, he’s now with the Australian Jayco-Alula formation and driving extra cyclocross. It was properly previous time for a catch-up.
PEZ: So, new workforce, what’s it like after… what number of years with Fast-Step, I feel 11 years?
Zdeněk Štybar: Yeah. 11 or 12? I finished counting.
PEZ: To be with one workforce for a very long time after which change. You will need to discover a distinction?
Sure, however I see it like a constructive change. Particularly now after being with this workforce now for just a few months, then I actually see it as constructive change. When it grew to become clear that I couldn’t delay with Fast-Step I used to be after all, fairly unhappy, as a result of I hoped that I’ll end my profession there. However alternatively, it’s prefer it occurred and truly, I feel I ought to be pleased about that as a result of now I get to know new folks. Like new nationalities, new mentality, totally different method of labor and likewise they’ve already made for me a pleasant race programme. So I’m actually grateful for that. It’s like a brand new begin once more, new enter. So I’m truly excited.
New workforce – Constructive change
PEZ: Change could be a good factor:
Yeah, now I actually see it as a constructive change.
PEZ: A one yr contract and can that be it?
I don’t know. I’ve emotions like some years again, you realize, due to the passion, however we’re solely on the coaching camp, I don’t understand how the races can be, how the form can be as a result of the final two years had been actually dangerous for me. I didn’t carry out as I ought to, due to some well being points. And it was all the time very troublesome to come back again and all the time once I bought again, then there was one thing new taking place. So I simply hope that this yr I can be wholesome and that I can race once more all in fine condition.
The identical enthusiasm – Saudi Tour’23
PEZ: Do you continue to have the identical enthusiasm? You continue to need it?
Yeah, after all. In any other case, I wouldn’t be sitting right here. It’s not a problem of cash or no matter. It’s actually simply because I felt I nonetheless need to race, I nonetheless have ambitions. I nonetheless like to go coaching, I nonetheless don’t thoughts to go away residence for just a few weeks. You by no means know when it would change, however once I’m right here and once more with new folks, and plenty of younger guys, it offers me a whole lot of motivation and vitality as properly.
PEZ: Is that what retains you motivated?
Sure and since you have got a brand new surroundings. I don’t do a whole lot of various things, as I did previously, nevertheless it’s only a totally different surroundings. It’s after all of the years in Fast-Step, it was additionally a little bit little bit of routine. There was nonetheless all the time one thing new, however the coaching camps had been all the time fairly comparable. Additionally a few years there with the identical riders, which I like after all and I’m good pals with all of the riders, however right here, like now, I’ve met new pals and the group is simply nice. It’s a pleasant mentality on this workforce so…
PEZ: And driving cross will not be an issue for the workforce?
No. I’ve now carried out just a few races and I’ll do the World Cup in Benidorm and I even had it in thoughts to do the World championships, however I made a decision to not do it after the outcomes I’ve had.
Nonetheless loving cross
PEZ: You’ve been having fun with it although?
I did take pleasure in it, however in Koksijde and Zonhoven within the sand, I simply utterly misplaced it as a result of I had no time to do any particular coaching. I feel if I actually need to carry out once more, then I actually have to spend so much of time from summer season on, simply doing correct cyclocross coaching.
PEZ: The final time we spoke to you was a very long time in the past and also you had been having issues along with your shoulder and that was why you didn’t really feel you are able to do as a lot in cross then, is that also the identical?
The factor is, I didn’t race cyclocross for 3 years, I did simply the Worlds, nevertheless it was only one race, so you may even depend it. So I did nothing for 3 years and I didn’t even do any particular coaching. Up to now I had the situation, so I may simply in some way make up for the dearth of the methods, however now, I simply can’t as a result of the opposite guys, they’re additionally very robust they usually have good method. I’m not in my prime form and I don’t have the method, so I’m actually shedding loads. And I’m 37. So I’m the oldest on the beginning checklist. I didn’t anticipate to beat them, however for me it was simply all about coaching. Final yr I additionally didn’t race for 4 months, from Roubaix till the Tour of Poland. So I simply had the sensation that I wished to have the race quantity on and I need to race, I need to push myself. No matter, nonetheless it goes, I simply need to do it for myself to push my limits once more. In any other case I might have too lengthy a interval of simply coaching.
A little bit of showboating
PEZ: You’re keen on cyclocross.
After all, I adore it. It’s my ardour. However anyway, you realize I all the time take pleasure in it. Additionally to have so many supporters, it’s additionally actually beautiful. It’s like, ‘am I driving right here for victory or is Van Aert catching me already that they’re supporting a lot?’ So I actually take pleasure in it that I nonetheless get a lot help. OK, I didn’t carry out, however I additionally couldn’t anticipate totally different I bought sick over the New 12 months after which needed to change of the bike from in the future to the following. So anyway, I bought what I wished from it for myself. Now I hope that it’ll all payoff within the street season.
PEZ: What do you concentrate on cyclocross now? There are the specialists after which the large three.
However you realize, you all the time must suppose that they’re such an distinctive expertise. They’re profitable the most important races of the World on the street, on the mountain bike, time trial, within the sprints and the uphill. So it’s not a shock that also they are profitable and dominating cyclocross. What they will push, no one can. Really virtually no one can within the World. So, yeah, then then it’s unhappy for the cyclocross guys, as a result of they deal with all of it yr lengthy. I additionally don’t suppose that that Wout, Mathieu and Tom are going to do it endlessly. I feel that in all probability they’ll cease in two years time, as a result of it prices them mentally a lot vitality that they must say… It’s all yr lengthy and they’re full fuel. You recognize it’s enjoyable and it’s good coaching, however I feel that it’ll price them mentally a whole lot of energy and a whole lot of vitality that they may miss through the season. So I feel they must make the selection.
PEZ: Do you suppose cyclocross is extra common than earlier than?
You recognize, I feel cyclocross has to thank these three guys, as a result of they’re making the race, they’re making it actually thrilling. It’s a present once you watch the races, it’s so thrilling. And I feel additionally, as a result of they mix all of the self-discipline collectively, it brings in lot of latest riders. Up to now, there was by no means greater than 100 riders in the beginning, however like, now in Zolder, they needed to cease the registration, as a result of in any other case, they may have even 170 riders in the beginning. I feel it’s because of them, because of Matthew and Wout, they actually present which you can mix and you’ll race within the spring and in the summertime. That it’s good coaching. I feel a whole lot of guys need to copy them. But additionally, I feel for the younger guys, possibly they suppose, ‘oh, I ought to begin with cyclocross’, they usually possibly make investments extra time in it they usually received’t solely deal with one self-discipline. I feel that may create, from the younger classes, a brand new spirit or a brand new technique to work.
PEZ: Do you suppose Remco Evenepoel is lacking one thing that cyclocross may have taught him, like his bike dealing with?
He’s a unique sort of rider, as a result of he was doing soccer, the others had been doing cyclocross. The others they will’t play nearly as good soccer as him. If you happen to put him in among the best groups on this planet now, he’ll in all probability nonetheless play recreation. I don’t suppose that he’s such a foul bike handler, he improved loads and I feel everyone can see that. However, he went from juniors on to WorldTour, so didn’t have as a lot time on the bike. So you may’t anticipate from a child of 19 years that he can deal with the bike like the opposite guys who’ve had 10 years on the bike. So I feel that’s simply logical.
PEZ: However cyclocross offers a rider that expertise and expertise.
Additionally the monitor and cyclocross and mountain bike. From every self-discipline, you’re taking one thing for the longer term.
World cross champ
PEZ: This can be your 18th years as a professional, you need to have seen a whole lot of adjustments?
It’s troublesome to say as a result of, for me, it was by no means actually like an enormous change, it was slowly coming. I remembered the primary time I had disc brakes in cyclocross, in all probability, I don’t dare to say, possibly 2008 or 2009, nonetheless with cables, not hydraulic. Then they began with tubeless and with wider tyres and totally different coaching and energy meters, all these items. They’re huge adjustments, however they got here slowly, I nonetheless have a few of these outdated bikes and once I see them and I see the bikes we now have now, I feel there was some evolution.
PEZ: You keep in mind the outdated cantilever and ‘V’ brakes?
After all. Even at this time, I nonetheless have some difficulties as a result of I grew up on the conventional brakes. So yeah.
Paris-Roubaix
PEZ: And what about Zwift? Do you utilize Zwift?
To be sincere, as a result of I accomplish that a lot cyclocross and within the dangerous climate, I simply go into the forest. Particularly throughout lockdown, so many riders and folks study to journey inside. I nonetheless want to go exterior. However completely, if there are some particular intervals, particularly within the winter if you find yourself at residence, and it’s actually dangerous, it’s the best technique to get the job carried out. I feel it helps a whole lot of guys to get via the winter, as a result of they will do nonetheless a whole lot of high quality coaching on it and it’s some enjoyable. They will evaluate or they will prepare with another guys and push themselves a bit tougher. So I’m completely not towards it. It’s good coaching.
PEZ: Are you aware your race schedule but?
I’ll begin in Saudi after which I’ll do all of the classics till Amstel, usually Roubaix Amstel. Additionally Strade after which we’ll see. A lot the identical as all the time.
2022 World gravel championships
PEZ: What about gravel?
The World championships had been enjoyable (Štybar completed eighth).
PEZ: However there may be the gravel in Europe, just like the Worlds after which there may be the gravel within the US.
I haven’t carried out any gravel in America, so I can’t actually evaluate. I feel lots of people will prefer it an increasing number of. You possibly can simply go into forest and now it’s additionally really easy with to plan the route. So even the routes that you just don’t know you may simply choose from A to B and it exhibits you the gravel roads, that makes it enjoyable. Additionally when there may be dangerous climate, it’s simpler to go on the gravel. If folks reside someplace near the cities, it’s all the time simpler to keep away from the site visitors. I’m not that usually within the Czech Republic, sadly, however there may be additionally so many gravel roads, undergo the forest and no vehicles, simply nature. So I actually suppose that it has an enormous future.
Preparing for the 2023 season
PEZ: Do you suppose the European gravel, just like the Worlds, and the American gravel, they’re fairly totally different. Have they got a future collectively?
I feel it relies upon who will do it? The UCI have the World Championship, so it would get very aggressive and there’ll possibly be solely gravel groups, {and professional} gravel groups, you realize, and, after which it is going to be efficiency smart. It’d lose a little bit little bit of the attraction, however alternatively, I feel there may be such an enormous public for the gravel, if there are these big occasions, then possibly the primary 50 guys will actually go full out and others they’ll simply take pleasure in it, nonetheless they’ll push themselves however in several method. It’s actually cool on these occasion, there are a 1000 folks, I feel it would all the time appeal to a whole lot of riders. I feel it’s troublesome to say as a result of it’s additionally possibly extra like a life-style.
PEZ: Do you have got a handlebar bag?
No, no, no. I didn’t go that far. However many guys have began to make use of one.
Profitable Het Nieuwsblad 2019
PEZ: Do you suppose the younger guys, like Evenepoel, will nonetheless be racing when they’re 37?
I feel you may see two methods. Now when they’re juniors, it’s like way of life, they don’t know anything. They simply journey yr by yr and I feel that they may additionally race till they’re 35. However possibly they’ll attain their peak sooner and likewise they’ll go from their peak quicker. It’s such an enormous punishment for the physique, from the juniors to elite, so possibly at a later age they’ll wrestle a bit extra with accidents as a result of the physique can be overload quicker. However alternatively, I feel that the most important wrestle would be the psychological level, particularly for the very profitable riders. After I see what goes round Remco already, since he’s 19, it’s simply loopy. Now he’s received the Vualta and the Worlds. They attempt to shield him. However at some second, it is perhaps an excessive amount of, if you happen to shield him or not, it simply is perhaps an excessive amount of. Additionally with the opposite younger riders, simply because the strain is so excessive, there may be a lot to do in addition to the coaching. They’re younger, so that they don’t give it some thought, however after some years of overloading the physique and having much less time to get well, to relaxation, possibly they may have shorter careers. Then again, they began like this they usually don’t know any totally different.
They’re dwelling the lifetime of a World Tour rider from when they’re juniors. Perhaps they’ll shorten their profession by three or 4 years. Now on common the riders are stopping round my age 36, 37, 38. So possibly they may cease at 35 or 34. However it received’t be like they cease at 30. I don’t consider that.
PEZ: What do you concentrate on having a cyclocross race in Benidorm, Spain?
I feel it’s nice, there can be a whole lot of Belgians there, for certain. I feel it’s offered out.
Worlds cross podium 2014
# Good luck and an enormous because of Zdeněk for the interview and to Geoffrey Pizzorni of Jayco Alula for setting it up. #
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