April 07, 2019 (Aguascalientes, Mexico) – Pedal also caught up with Canada’s Raphaël Gagné, from Quebec City, QC, the newly crowned Continental Mountain Bike Champion, following his stellar victory in the Elite men’s 6-lap cross-country mountain-bike race at the Pan American MTB Championships in Aguascalientes, Mexico on Saturday. Gagné previously won silver and bronze, but now the talented rider has the full set despite a challenging start to the 2019 season.
Congrats on this big win and a great start to the 2019 season.
Raphaël Gagné: Thanks – definitely over the moon with this win. I came nine seconds from winning in 2013, and one minute from winning in 2014 taking the bronze. Today I finally got it. It wasn’t with perfect preparation but it all worked out on the day that it mattered at this early season competition.
How was the course and the conditions today ?
RG: Altitude at 2,000m, very, very hot and sunny, dry and extremely dusty. I love racing in hot conditions, I do well in them even coming out of winter, same for altitude races.
Did the race unfold as expected ?
RG: Well my goal was to win, but that’s not how I imagined it would unfold given what’s happened in the months leading up to the race. Also, the race didn’t see any lesser known riders at the front. Usually at Pan Ams there are new riders that mix it up at the front during the first two laps. This time, all serious podium candidates were there and it was a fast-paced start.
Who were your biggest rivals and what was your strategy ?
RG: Biggest rivals… Fabio a Castagneda a Colombian altitude specialist and winner in 2013; Catriel Soto multiple PanAm champion; Henrique Cocuzzi best-ranked rider in America; Keegan Swenson a strong American altitude specialist. My strategy was to stay in the top five which I accomplished… be smart and respect MY pacing which I also accomplished.
I was hoping for a clean, strong start and that’s what I delivered. I was third into the first single-track and never looked back. After lap one I was 5th and within 10 seconds of the lead group – not letting myself start too fast and go into the red just yet. Then I caught the leaders and we formed a 5-rider group.
You attacked on the penultimate lap – was the timing just right ?
RG: A Brazilian attacked and a Mexican followed, I followed slowly in a gentle acceleration only bridging to them after a 10-minute effort. I raced Lap 2 to 6 with a strong Mexican. I was patient and smart, he was confident and aggressive.
In the end I had saved more than him, being gentle at every start of the climb and every acceleration (really important with altitude and the very hot conditions here), pacing and micro pacing, and it paid off. In the last 7-8 minute climb he attacked me first, too strong for me but he overcooked his chicken and I could reel him in. Then I attacked and he followed. With three minutes to the top of the final climb I went all in and attacked again and built a 20-second gap quickly. It was in the bag, with a fun technical super bumpy descent to the finish.
RG: Amazing, hard to describe, thought I might be more emotional with all the adversity lately… but all that came out was “Wow”. I am just so happy and so proud.
Tell us about your training coming into today’s competition – did you feel you were on form ?
RG: Bouncing back from set-backs took resilience. In February I competed in two stage races and got a gastro viral that lasted more that 15 days. Then I had a major cold at the US Cup opener in Bonelli that took some time to go away. It’s important to stay positive, resilient and to believe and dream big. I have to say that I long dreamed about this one but there have been moments of doubt, plus all of the frustration and complications of losing my team in the early season despite a nice 3-year contract.
You’re still in the hunt for a team… was a good result today part of your strategy ?
RG: Hoping it helps… it definitely helps to increase opportunities for World Cup results and drastically increases my international ranking, so that has a lot of value for me and a potential sponsor. Also it proves I can perform on demand, through adversity. Despite not optimal preparation lately due to sickness I performed well here so that’s promising for the rest of the season.
Anything you’d like to add ?
RG: I’d like to thank the Canadian national team for supporting me here and at some of the key races this season when I needed it the most. It’s a tough situation now with no team and the Québec Federation is also there to help me at some races as well. I am really happy that I could make it happen for myself but I am more thankful than ever to those that are helping me right now.
We race the UCI C1 national Mexican Cup on Sunday and then fly to the Sea Otter Classic US Cup UCI HC races on Thursday. Then we head home for some base miles, World Cup preparation and maybe one last XC ski at home before the snow is gone.
Congrats again and good luck in 2019.
RG: Thanks