Keeping Calm: An Interview with Yvon Madiot

Like many other industries, the world of cycling is on the wane today. To slow the spread of Coronavirus, many states are now calling for near-total containment, while cancellations of cycling events, as reputed as they are, continue to pour in. Like the whole peloton, the riders of the Groupama-FDJ cycling team find themselves in an unprecedented situation, which naturally requires very specific support, as outlined by Yvon Madiot.

Before talking about the current situation, can you describe the relationship between sports directors and runners in a “normal” context?

In normal times, we have three groups, with two sports directors referent per group. Each has a “specialty”. Philippe Mauduit and I are more focused on climbers, Fred Guesdon and Jussi Veikkanen on classic sprinters and runners while Thierry Bricaud and Franck Pineau are more focused on young people. Generally speaking, a runner will therefore have two main contacts in the sporting direction. This allows him to always have someone to refer to if one of the two “DS” is busy in a big competition. Generally, there is a permanent contact to ensure the good health of the runner, before and after the competitions, but also his motivation. There is also an exchange on the programs, and it is the referent sports director who announces the selection or not of the runner for such or such race. This also makes it possible to evoke, possibly, the strategy which will be implemented in competition. Finally, there is a sharing of information, and a human exchange, which relates to the sensations of the runner, both physical and mental. In parallel, the runner has contact with the coach, but the latter is more focused on the sportsman.

“Show that there is no form of panic on our side”

Coach and sports director therefore complement each other in monitoring the runner…

There is no reason to step on it. The coach is really focused on preparation and training, even if the human can also come into play since he is in very regular contact with the runner. Anyway, there is a great confidence between the two poles, performance and sporting direction. We call each other very often and we chat together on a group. At the slightest alert, uncertainty or information, we communicate on this platform and it works perfectly.

Let’s go back to the DS-runner relationship. Is it all the more important with the coming period?

Our role, whether we are a sports director or a coach, will be very important in the coming weeks since we have no visibility today. However, a runner, he is a competitor, he is a sportsman, he is a thoroughbred and he needs to let go of his energy. The most complicated will therefore be to manage its inactivity. We will have to bring him serenity, information, but also that we reassure. The guideline should be clear to everyone. From the details that we will obtain in the coming days, on the right and on the left, we will be able to communicate more fully with the runners. We also need to anticipate an extended stand-by, perhaps well until the beginning of June. But reassuring is also showing that we, on our side, are completely calm, that there is no form of panic. Now that we’ve said that,

We imagine that the speeches will differ somewhat depending on the runners…

In the current situation, there are different cases. It may be easier for those who started the season and ran to Paris-Nice. They are now observing a more or less logical rest period, even if the break was rather planned after the Tour of Catalonia. On the other hand, there are young people, who could be a little lost, and those whose contract is expiring. The runners are on fixed-term contracts and it will logically be necessary to appease the spirits. Some may say that time is passing and that the months of competition will pass very quickly. We will have a lot of work to provide to reassure and explain the situation to the runners. Everyone is obviously aware of the context and accepts this, but they will have to be reminded that everything does not end with and because of the virus.

“Neither the end of the world, the end of their career, nor the end of the team”

What should your support for them consist of?

The primary goal will be to brush aside the concerns, if there are any, and emphasize that there is no choice but to accept this situation. It is non-negotiable. But, once again, we must not come to think that it is the end of the world, nor even the end of their career or the end of the team. We have to accept this complicated moment and then start off again, which they will do without problem, that’s for sure. We know that athletes are generally endowed with great mental strength. We will make sure that each runner is fully informed and reassured by the situation. The leaders are in a slightly different position, but we are aware that it can be more disturbing for a young person, a team member, a runner arriving at the end of the contract or a runner who was a little in trouble at the start of the season. Rather, it is they who should be followed more closely, reassured and supported.

What are the specific concerns of leaders?

They are not the same and their future is not in danger. In the specific case, the real problem is that Arnaud hardly ran for example. All his preparation was based on the months of March and April… and he only ran five days. He had invested a lot and he was only arriving in his target period. Thibaut has followed an almost normal schedule and it may be easier to accept for him. Concerning them, the main disappointment, frustration even, is that of not having taken advantage of their form and their preparation fully to win races over the periods that we had determined. But they are leaders, so they have strong character. They know very well that they can bounce back on other projects. Thibaut is aware that he will have big goals this summer, and Arnaud also knows very well that, even without Giro, a second part of the dense and important season awaits him. In essence, and by virtue of their status and their state of mind, a leader knows how to stay mobilized. We will be sure, of course, but Arnaud and Thibaut, like others, know very well that when competitions resume, they will always have this physical advantage over others. At some point or another, their qualities and talent will emerge. know very well that when competitions resume, they will always have this physical advantage over others. At some point or another, their qualities and talent will emerge. know very well that when competitions resume, they will always have this physical advantage over others. At some point or another, their qualities and talent will emerge.

“We advised runners to stop training”

Ensuring that equity will be more or less preserved, is this also a point of attachment?

Absolutely. We must reassure the runners by reminding them that everyone, or almost everyone, will be staying in the same boat, and that they will therefore not be penalized. In the end, whether you are French or foreign, everyone has a family they want to take care of. On top of that, getting around isn’t going to be easy. The borders are closed. A runner who tries to leave for a training course far enough could even find himself confined to the spot… A lot will come into play, but yes, we can say that everyone is more or less in the same boat in the circumstances current. So you have to stop for a moment, understand, analyze, then, when the time comes, we will start on more concrete things at work. Because today, we can certainly train indoors, but basically, Why ? It is a very difficult situation for a runner to drive without perspective, and I do not personally think that this is the right solution to prepare for the future.

What is the directive given to runners for the coming days?

For the moment, we are going to advise them, in consultation with the coaches, to stop training, even on a home trainer. The team’s watchword is to stay confined to your home, rest, take care of your family, and thus fight against the virus. We recommend this cut of twelve days and we hope, by then, to have above all an improvement in the overall health, and why not the beginnings of information, of fictitious dates of return. The most important thing at the moment is to stop. Then, if government directives allow us, we will start off on outdoor work cycles, with objectives, if not competitions, at least physical condition. More or less like what is done in December. If there is for example a resumption in sight in June, it will be up to us to restart a preparation,