Christophe Laporte He's one of those riders who took a little longer to reach his peak. At 29, he's somehow exploded, and who knows, he might just get better. He hasn't been forgotten, nor has he been relegated to being a lifelong supporter. Not that there's anything wrong with that, on the contrary. But it's one thing to be one because you're truly a phenomenon in that role, see for example Salvatore Puccio, and it's one thing because you weren't able to be champions.
Laporte has passed by Cofidis to the Jumbo VismaHe had been with the French team for eight seasons. Then last winter he joined the Dutch powerhouse. It was supposed to be the big shot who came to help Van Aert and instead he showed himself to be a super rider already in the first retreats. A rider capable of both winning and helping. And of being a consistent presence in the most important races.
When it was already evening, we "caught" him in the Service course of Jumbo-Visma, as he ran to pick up new materials or take photos for this or that sponsor. Very tall, thin, kind…
Christophe, you've had a good season: five wins and always involved in the team's most important plays. What do you think?
It was a great season. I only won one classic (the Binche-Chimay-Binche, ed.) but I've come very close in otherI hope to conquer them in the coming years.
Heijboer, the performance chief, said you're a complete rider and a team player too…
And that's nice. I immediately felt the team's confidence. When I arrived, I immediately found a great atmosphere. I settled in quickly, and just as quickly, they gave me the opportunity to win, and I did. I combined my personal opportunities well with those of helping my teammates. Let's hope we continue like this.
Have you noticed any differences between the French mentality and that of a Dutch team? Here we see great organization throughout...
It's not easy to make a comparison between my past experiences and Jumbo-Visma. They are two very different teams, but I have certainly found a super professional team here, which leaves nothing to chance. A team that's perfectionist in every area and every detail. And it all seems to work.
Since you arrived at Jumbo-Visma, have you changed anything in terms of nutrition and preparation?
The biggest change has definitely been the training. And yes, I also changed my diet a bit. It was different both during the race and during the preparation phase.
How was the approach to preparation different?
Especially in the initial part. We don't do many kilometers anymore, but we have a lot of intensity already in the early stages. And then the training camps have changed a lot. We do a lot of them. And when we do them, we train a lot. In three weeks of training camp, you train more than you would at home alone. You cover more kilometers and do more different types of work. So when you're at home, you don't do as much. And if you're not at home, you're at the races.
You've grown a lot, we were saying, Christophe, you've shown yourself to be a rider of substance: what are your goals for next season and the seasons to come?
My first goal is to conquer a classic. I finished second twice last year (in Harelbeke and Ghent-Wevelgem, ed.) and I'd like to finally win. And I still want to help the team achieve its goals. We haven't achieved them all yet. We want to win.
Being a leader is certainly nice, but do you want to be one all the time, or do you also enjoy helping your teammates, since you often talk about it?
These are two things I love to do. I need to be the leader in some races and have a chance to winBut I also love racing for my teammates, especially in open races. It's true that we have a leader, Wout (Van Aert), but in certain races there can be opportunities for each of us.
You mentioned Van Aert: he's a great rider, but is he also a good teacher?
I think everyone can learn from him. He's a "professional perfectionist," a 100 percent pro. Everyone knows he's physically strong, but I believe his true strength is mental. He knows what he has to do, what is needed and when it is needed…
You worked not only for Van Aert, but also for Vingegaard and Roglic: are there any differences between the two?
The biggest difference between the two is their character... I think. Primoz is calmer and more composed, meaning he lets himself be guided more and lets his teammates do more of the work. Jonas, on the other hand, is a little more “nervous”, but not with us… maybe because he's younger.
Christophe, one last question. You, a Frenchman, have just won a stage of the Tour after a long time: what was going through your head, your legs, your heart in those moments?
Eh, there were so many things. The first thing was to win the Tour with Jonas, so I thought everything was under control up to that point. We had to get him ahead in the final. Then when this aspect was settled I knew I had the possibility to play my cards. Et voilàI was really motivated that day. I knew it could be the icing on the cake after the team's Tour. There was no better way to celebrate this success.
Is it true that on the day of your victory it was Van Aert who said: "Today we work for Laporte"?
Yes, yes… it would have been a suitable finish for Wout too, but the next day there was the time trial and he wanted to save himself a bit. At 3 kilometers to go, he said to me: "I'll take care of Jonas. The teamwork for Jonas is done." And so I could go. I could rest easy. And when Wout tells you that, it gives you confidence, it gives you morale. When you have an opportunity like this, it's best to take advantage of it.
