To start with, can you share with us what you have been up do since you are back to training in September?
Quentin Lafargue: At the beginning of September we got back to training in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. On top of the intense training, I have had to prepare the whole season to come with FFC and personal staff. It’s a lot of work to fix the agenda and to plan the 2018/2019 objectives and strategy. There are other projects ongoing projects that should be revealed soon!
At the end of September you take part in the 2nd round of the French Cup. It’s home in Bordeaux. Did you really take part in the scrath race?
QL: Yes, I did! In September the first cycle of training focused on aerobics. It made sense to end it up with the Bordeaux Scratch Elite. It’s a true experience for me but also a true challenge! I worked hard to qualify for the final. In the final I quitted after 25 rounds because it was going full speed with no lull. I was dead. But like a kid I was happy to race with French champions like Sylvain Chavanel or Bryan Coquard.
The scratch and the individual speed races were on the same day. I got the 3rd qualifying time. Then the program went so fast that I hardly had time to fully recover between races. So obviously I lost in ¼ final in speed racing and finished 4th in Keirin.
October is the beginning the World Cup season with 6 competitions (4 in 2018 and 2 in 2019). This season there are 2 more competitions. How are you going to handle this?
QL: I think it’s a good thing that we have more competitions. We need to compete regularly so that the media get used to mention our results and keep interest in our sport. With the staff, we have had a lot of discussions in order to build the best agenda ever. At the end of August, I benefited from a 10 day rest after the French Championships. The1st World Cup Competition (19/20/21 October in SQY) was too early in my program. So I decided to skip the first two competitions (the 2nd one is on 26/27/28 October in Milton – Canada) in order to be ready for Berlin at the beginning of December. I was hard to make such a decision as I love racing in France and especially in SQY. But I decided to focus on mid-term objectives: the World Championships in March 2019.
I hope we can bump into you during the French competition?
QL: Of course. In the end I’ll take part but in a different way. I’ll be commenting races on the TV channel L’Equipe (channel 21). Also I’ll be present to support all my competing friends!