Cannondale Chairside Chats: Maciej Bodnar (part one)

Polish riders have been hitting the headlines this year but Cannondale Pro Cycling has long been aware of the cycling talent from Poland. Their own long-serving Polish rider Maciej Bodnar is nicknamed the “Polish Locomotive” for reasons that become obvious as you read our three-part interview with him.

G4: Would it be fair to say that you’re one of the more experienced members of the squad?

MB: Yes, I’ve been with the team for seven years but I’m not so old.

G4: True, you’re only 29! Nonetheless, in a team with plenty of youngsters, you’re one of the more experienced riders.

MB: Yes, it’s true and I feel like we’re part of one big family.

G4: We’ve noted that team management likes to pair up its youngsters with the more experienced riders. Who do you usually share a room with?

MB: It depends on the race, but I typically share with Peter [Sagan].

G4: Ah, so you’re the calming influence in lieu of his elder brother?

MB: (Laughs) We normally share a room during the Tour and the bigger races but honestly it doesn’t matter who I share with. At the start of the season I often shared with some of the newer team members. This means we can talk about the race, tactics and the life of a professional rider.

For example, at the very first training camp I shared with Matej Mohoric and I’ve also shared a room with Davide Formolo, one of the other neo-pros. I think it makes it easier for them too so that later in the race they have no hesitation in talking to the older riders. They’re happy to ask me anything as if I were their friend or older brother. If you put two youngsters together they tend to dwell too much on other things, not necessarily at the job in hand.

G4: What do you like to do to relax and when you’re not riding?

MB: On rest days I like to sleep a lot and check out the news on the internet when I’m at home – I have homes in both Italy and Poland. In winter I’m in Italy but later in the year I like to spend time in Poland. So I have a daily routine when I’m at home. I get up, read the newspaper, eat breakfast and go out on my bike. After training I like to spend time with my girlfriend, my family and friends. I like going to the cinema. I find watching films very relaxing. I also like going bowling with friends, it’s fun.

At home, I don’t always have a massage and I can spend more of the day with my girlfriend. To be honest, it’s a very simple life. Everything I do revolves around cycling. People think a cyclist’s life is very glamourous, we get to visit lots of places, but in truth it’s quite a narrow existence and you rarely get to see anything of the places where you ride. It’s hotel, massage, eating, talking to the family on Skype, sleeping, racing –  you could be anywhere. It’s important to recover well to ride better the next day.

You don’t get to be a professional cyclist without making plenty of sacrifices. Tomorrow, we talk time-trials with the Polish national champion.