Raise your hand if you would have ever imagined that the troublemaker and always-on-the-run Voeckler would one day become one of the most successful technicians in the worldHis shots. The almost annoying grimaces. The controversies. Today the French coach who recently won the European Championship in Drenthe with Laporte and the mixed relay, he displays an almost British aplomb. He only fails in moments of high intensity and when he comments on the races from the motorbike on televisionIn that case, however, he is never presented as a technical commissioner, but as a former athlete and commentator.
«I would have liked – admits Voeckler, 44, a professional from 2001 to 2017 – to be as strong as the guys today. The level of the French is not the same as it was in my time. Nowadays, athletes at the highest world levels are competing, so it's less complicated for me to imagine strategies. Instead When I went to the World Championships as a rider, the only way they could see us was to go on the run.We weren't on the same level, I can't say why. I know that when I accepted to be the technician of the French Cycling Federation, I got it into my head to prove that we are second to none».
Alaphippe, one-two
The story begins in 2020, at the European Championships. The race goes to Nizzolo, the newly crowned Italian champion, but Picard, also a French champion, finishes second. In Imola, a few weeks later, Alaphilippe won the world championship. Sometimes we tend to give all the credit to the champion, but the divided France of previous years suddenly seems like a battleship.
The following year, the European Championships were held in Trento, with Colbrelli holding off Evenepoel on the climb and then beating him in the sprint. A Frenchman, Benoit Cosnefroy, finished third. A few weeks later, at the World Championships in Leuven, Alaphilippe is still celebrating.
"Frankly Julian didn't need me – he smiles – first of all because I wasn't the one pedaling. My role was to form a united group around him., as well as for Cosnefroy at the European Championships in Trento, when the whole team worked for him without asking questions. Of course, having a relationship of trust with the leader made things easier for me.. Sometimes Julian didn't understand a choice I made, but I stood firm and took responsibility for it. Apart from that, Julian is never demanding, sometimes his gentleness is almost embarrassing given his status as a champion.».
Two burning silvers
We continue to Monaco 2022, with a flat European Championship for sprinters. It seems designed for Fabio Jakobsen, who in fact wins. However, Arnaud Demare finished behind him, taking the silver medal. When he flew to Australia in September, Voeckler's plan would also be Garibaldian, but Evenepoel's attack it blows up every point of referenceLuckily for the city, Laporte took care of it and took second place.
«That day Evenepoel was unplayable – he recalls with a tennis metaphor – and it took me a while to understand that I'm not the one pedaling. I can't relieve stress, so the morning before the World Championships I went for a run of 8 kilometres, because I was up very early. The boys are with me, they trust me. They definitely still see me as a rider and the fact of being present at many competitions also on television helps in relationshipsI'm young to be retired, we talk like riders, all together in the room. Even if there are solemn moments, I'm not above them and they obviously feel it.».
Laporte's flash
Things didn't go so well in Glasgow, yet Voeckler returned home with Mixed Team Relay silver behind Switzerland and turned it into gold at the European Championships in Drenthe. Furthermore, in the Dutch challenge he arrived the unexpected gold in the road test, thanks to Laporte who did not give in to Van Aert's comeback.
«Building the right team – explains Voeckler – is like a puzzle, a long processThe closer the date gets, the more I try to convince myself that the first idea is the right one. You shouldn't give in to the temptation to change everything at the last minute, it's better to think about it first., based on the route and the riders' plans. Some have known for a long time that I'll be counting on them, while others are informed much later, so they can approach the race with peace of mind. I have the same malice as when I was racing, trying to be smarter than my rivals is part of the gameAnd then, after taking stock, we study tactics. I won't ask my riders to race the same way whether Van Aert and Pogačar are there or not. The course is one thing, the race scenario is another.... ".
