VUELTA : Geoffroy Lequatre experiences

Third and last Tour of the year, the Vuelta will start tomorrow for three weeks of wonderful race under Spain. Three participations for Geoffroy Lequatre at The Vuelta! He speaks about this amazing cycling event and his own experiences.

Vuelta, the first big Tour for Geoffroy

My first participation in the Vuelta is my first participation in a Grand Tour!

After a hard crash in 2005, I managed to get back around June 2006. I hoped to participate in the Tour de France, but when I talked to my new team (Cofidis), we decided for the Vuelta.

It was a great emotion from Malaga, the first participation in a Grand Tour for a cyclist, it’s amazing! Malaga is a beautiful city where the weather is hot at this period.

the warmth is the enemies

The Vuelta is famous for these hot weather that tires the organisms. This heat is the main opponent of cyclists, who are all apprehensive not to support it. Myself, I was worried about it. A first Grand Tour at the same time as a first test at such temperatures… for the young rider that I was, it was already a lot!

Get experiences and skills or prepare objectives

The Vuelta allowing young riders to discover three weeks of racing and a big tour. The opportunity to experience and test yourself on a hot race!

Rider take the start of the Vuelta and stop before the last week to got back training for of the world championships for example.

The Tour of Spain is also today probably the most difficult of the Grand Tours because of altitude and arrival at the summit.

Best memories

After three Vuelta (2006, 2007, 2011), I give you some memories that remain in my mind:

• The 50 ° C for the departure of the Vuelta 2011 in Benidorm
• The combined shirt won with the Cofidis team in 2007
• The Angliru obviously with its extreme slopes and its euphoric spectators
• Impressive sprints between Zabel and Petacchi (Petacchi also broke his hand after a gesture of humor arriving at the bus)
• David Moncoutié impressive lucidity and then express himself in the mountains! He also saved me from abandonment by giving me two bottles during a climb of the pass under an unbearable heat
• A last week each time extremely difficult. We are like robots (Bike / Massage / Meals / sleep …)
• Paolo Bettini, World Champion 2006, who leaves the Vuelta before the third week to defend his rainbow jersey. He was actually double world champion thanks to his choice.