ELLE & G4 – Episode 5: The Reconnaissance

A week and a half from their goal, we meet up with our two athletes for episode 5 of the ELLE & G4 story which honours female athletes and features Geoffroy Lequatre and Morgane Moinard. The former professional rider has assumed the task of preparing Morgane, a seasoned athlete, for the www.parisnicechallenge.com/en/">Paris-Nice Challenge which will take place on 11 March. If you want to know more about them, click here. Today: reconnaissance ride

Last Wednesday, we joined Geoffroy and Morgane on their reconnaissance of the route of the www.parisnicechallenge.com/en/">Paris-Nice Challenge.

Colomars – Aspremont

Geoffroy: Today Morgane, we’re going to check out the route. It’s important to ride the route of the www.parisnicechallenge.com/en/">Paris-Nice Challenge, especially since it’s so close to D-Day. I give this advice to all riders because it’s important they understand and note the more challenging aspects of the race to understand when and where additional effort will be needed in order to pace themselves. This is exactly what the pros do, particularly on key stages. It’s not surprising that a number of the pros who live down here have won the last two stages. So, let’s do the same. This is Morgan’s world championships and we need to closely study the roads and take notes.
Morgane: Okay, and what a great day for our training ride. We’ve been so lucky with the weather throughout our planning and preparation. Today it’s 17°C, that’s why we’re lucky to live on the Côte d’Azur.

Geoffroy: The roads between Colomars and Aspremont provide a fairly strenuous, leg sapping start, especially for amateurs. The pros will agree. I suppose you too realised it because of the descent we just passed. On top of that, it’s hot and we’re already starting to perspire even at a gentle pace. Now that you know better idea of the more challenging parts along these roads, how are planning to handle them?
Morgane: The most important thing is to find my rhythm and not expend too much energy, particularly given the amount of climbing during the event. I want to be cautious and enjoy it.

Tourrette-Levens – Col de Châteauneuf – Contes

Geoffroy: Now, we’re heading up the Col de Châteauneuf which is included in most of the region’s races. This is a very technical downhill. Take it slowly now to find the best line to take on the descent. Races can be won on the climbs with your physical condition and on the descents if you’re more agile than the competition. In addition, the descent off the Châteauneuf climb is a key part of the course and because of the turns, it’s easy to fall.
Given I’ve ridden this many times, including in Paris-Nice, my advice for this part of the course Morgane, is to be both relaxed and alert. For optimal control on the descents, use both front and rear brakes, braking at the start of the corner, then in the curve gently release the front brake so as not to lose your grip on the road with the front wheel. Then as you come out of the curve, gently release the rear brake.

Morgane: It’s true that this descent is quite dangerous; I’ll try to remember your words of wisdom on the day of the www.parisnicechallenge.com/en/">Paris-Nice Challenge.

Geoffroy: We’ll head towards Contes to go back down to the coast and the Promenade des Anglais to finish off our enjoyable reconnaissance. It’s already getting late in the afternoon but did you find this helpful?
Morgane: It’s been perfect; I now understand what’s required of me without tiring myself out. I now have a few exercises to do on the bike to tune my condition for the event.
Geoffroy: Exactly, you need to do some sprint intervals on Sunday: 5 sprints of 12 seconds duration followed by 2 minute recovery. Repeat this exercise twice during your 21/2hr training ride. One last piece of advice, don’t get cold while you’re training. Wrap up well and take time to recover after each session with plenty of stretching, sleep and hydration while getting on with your everyday life.

That’s it for today. We’ll meet next week to continue the adventure where we’ll study in more detail important details such hydration, fuelling, how to best manage your energy and what clothes and equipment you’ll need depending on the weather forecast.

We’d encourage you to do likewise on the roads of the Cote d’Azur!

Côté vestimentaire :

ELLE : Cycling jersey woman Graphic / Woman tights Distinguished / Merinos pink socks.

LUI : Base layer / Cycling neon socks / Jersey Graphic / Back short compression.