September 21, 2009 – Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Slipstream) has been making Canadian road cycling history since crossing over from the mountain biking world in 2005. Last year he was part of Garmin’s Team Time Trial winning effort at the Giro d’Italia, earning teammate Christian Vande Velde the coveted Maglia Rosa. In August he became one of a record four Canadians to start the Vuelta a España, the first time four Canucks have taken part in a Grand Tour.

On Stage 10 Hesjedal turned heads when he came second, earning another Canadian first. And then on Stage 12, the Victoria, B.C. native topped all of these accomplishments by becoming the first Canadian ever to win a stage at the Vuelta, when he crossed the line first in one of the race’s five mountaintop finishes. We spoke with him by phone recently to talk about the most impressive achievement of his career as he prepares for the 2009 Road World Championships in Mendrisio, Switzerland – Sept. 23-27:

Good evening! How are you?
Ryder Hesjedal: Good, thanks!

Where are you?
RH: In Girona, out on the pedestrian walk, the Rambla.

Sounds nice, one day I have to get there.
RH: Yeah, yeah, you know it!

Let’s begin at the middle of the Vuelta, where it started going well for you. On Stage 10 you, Simon Gerrans, Alexandre Vinokourov and Jakob Fuglsang survived the break, but Gerrans outsprinted you at the finish. What were your thoughts having almost won a stage at the Vuelta?
RH: I was obviously pleased with the majority of the day. But coming in second it’s tough to look at that and realize I had a shot to win the stage. I was a little frustrated with that, but the whole of the day was very positive – it was a hard day to get in the break and the group was very strong and there was a clear, difficult selection at the end there and I was able to be part of that and be part of the stage. The majority was positive but I was definitely (laughs) having a hard time resting with being so close to a victory like that. That was a big part of what helped me a couple days later, I think.

What was your mindset going into Stage 12 following the rest day and Tyler Farrar winning Stage 11? Almería to Velefique was one of the hardest stages at the Vuelta, with three 1st Category climbs, including a mountaintop finish at Alto de Velefique.
RH: Pretty relaxed actually. I was always taking the race day by day even from the very beginning, just approaching each day’s task, be it with Tyler up in Holland or with Tom (Danielson) in the General (Classification,) or whatever had to be done. And the days where there was a chance of a breakaway, that was always a part of my task, trying to be in the break and having a chance for the stage if it would go to the line. I was already pretty pleased with that result on Stage 10 and obviously not just Tyler winning the next day, but I was there and helped him and everyone was a big part of that victory. So you know we were really at ease, very satisfied and just comfortable. I didn’t really even think about anything that day – not that it was the hardest stage of the race possibly or anything like that. We wanted to make sure we were represented in the break, and Christian (Meier) and Svein (Tuft) were the main guys for that. But it takes everyone to contribute and I was able to get into the break very easily, kind of late. I wasn’t stressed, I wasn’t like “I gotta be in the break today,” I got in it pretty easily and once I was there my mindset totally changed. As soon as I was in the break and it was established and with that second place on Stage 10 I just believed it could go to the line and with the mountaintop finish I was always believing I could arrive in the final and it worked out.

David García didn’t work on some of the final climb because his Xacobeo Galicia teammate Ezequiel Mosquera was coming across. But in the end you and García fought it out – how did the final climb up the Velefique unfold?
RH: It was definitely a long climb, I think the climb starts at 13km but there was a bit of distance before then. Oh, I just ran into Mike – hold on a sec. (I hear Olympians Michael and Dede Demet Barry talking to and congratulating Ryder as Girona, Spain is home to many pro cyclists.). That was Michael Barry and his family.

Nice! I saw him at the Tour of Missouri!
RH: Oh, right. Ok, where was I?

The start of the final climb.
RH: Oh yeah. There was a false flat leading up to where the climb started proper and García went really early, almost 18k to go, with no real response from anybody because it was a long way to go on your own, so I just was watching the other guys and I knew that I needed to ride the climb at my own speed, and I knew that I was feeling good and decided to ride smart and be cautious. Pretty much as soon as we hit the climb proper I followed a couple of guys, including Julián Sánchez from Contentpolis-Ampo, and got clear right away and I knew I was one of the stronger guys, if not the strongest, just from the whole day of riding.

I could just feel that and I knew that I just needed to get on the climb and get into my own rhythm. So halfway up I was finally by myself, distancing Sánchez. Yeah, it was nice to have García up the road. I could focus on that and work on bringing him back and the scenario of catching him and him not working wasn’t the best situation, but I knew that he had done a very hard effort as well and if I could get anywhere close to the line it didn’t matter if he’d been sitting on my wheel, that I was going to get the stage. I was so confident, nothing was hindering that for me.

Mosquera and Robert Gesink were approaching from behind with you and García both having worked hard. What was going through your head as you and García approached the finish line and what did you have left in your legs?
RH: I knew the scenario right from the beginning. I wish I’d had more time (on the chasing group of GC favourites) at the base of the climb, I think I only had about 4 minutes at the start. When you have fresh guys, fresh teams working on the climb, you know it’s going to be a tall order when you’ve been out all day. But I think that shows how well I rode that day, that I was able to go up the climb at that rate and still be able to hold off a charge from the top guys. I could see them coming in the switchbacks, and knew it was going to be tight and knew I didn’t really have much room to spare. There was a little bit of playing around with García, seeing if he was strong enough to answer an attack and that sort of stuff.

I obviously would rather have not gone to the line with him, if I could have shaken him in the final kilometres and just gone to the line myself it would have been a lot less stressful but I didn’t work out that way. As soon as I knew that those guys were getting close I was able to lift the speed again and it was never that big of an issue. It all came so close to the wire at the same moment but I was not really panicking or whatever, there’s not really time for that sort of stuff in that situation. I was so focused on what had to happen, that’s all I was thinking about – getting to the line first!

What were your emotions when you crossed the line, having won one of the most difficult stages at one of the biggest races in the world?
RH: Yeah, it was just pure joy and relief! It symbolizes a lot for me personally, and knowing that it was a big day like that, it wasn’t just some random scenario where you ended up getting in a better situation. It was about as hard, if not the hardest day at the Vuelta. The situation, to come out on top with all those scenarios that were unfolding, it’s very satisfying and it does show a lot that you can. You just have to keep plugging away and put yourself in those situations to get the opportunity. I feel happy that I was able to keep pushing and pushing and have that opportunity to make good on it, and that’s what it’s all about. It’s been a lot of years of hard fought racing and a lot of days out there without that pure satisfaction and joy of a victory like that! So it’s definitely (laughs,) definitely welcome and is a nice feeling to have that under the belt!

Being on the podium after an effort like that – how amazing is that feeling?
RH: Yeah, it is amazing! To be up there on a mountaintop finish like that and being in a race like the Vuelta, a Grand Tour, it’s something I’ll never forget and even when I see the images, the pictures and stuff and I realize what that all means and it gives me instant motivation and satisfaction, you want to be there again and now I can draw on that day for added motivation and strength.

You said a while back that you carried “the weight of a nation” – that’s certainly been lifted off your back, hasn’t it?
RH: (Laughs) Oh, no, I mean, I think it’s still there – I enjoy representing Canada and anything I do. I’m proud to be over here accomplishing these things, that’s the kind of rider I always saw myself being so it’s what I also gain strength from and use that as motivation. I want to be giving that motivation to younger riders coming up and seeing yeah, this is very possible and there’s somebody doing it!

And you made history again as the first Canadian ever to win a stage at the Vuelta – the first to win an individual Grand Tour stage since Steve Bauer at the Tour de France in 1988.
RH: That’s also very satisfying, even to be mentioned with any remarks or statements along with Bauer is hugely gratifying and a big honour. Again, these last two years have been very good and I can only see them continuing that way and I’m really motivated to improve on everything I’ve already accomplished in these last few seasons, so the future’s looking every bright and I see myself really in the prime of my career and trying to take advantage of that.

Knowing how much you’ve worked, trained and sacrificed, how excited was your family about this stage victory?
RH: Oh, over the moon! I mean, I had so many well-wishes and comments even after Stage 10, and that really was something that was a little bit overwhelming – that so many people were rooting for me and wanted to see that victory, it just kind of hit me a little bit more. That was a huge part of that day, all the strength I could draw, that was a big part of it, and to be able to know that people would be that happy for seeing me accomplish that victory, that was also a big part of it. And that’s part of being an athlete in the public eye. You do create a following and people want to see you do well and that’s always in your mind and it’s very overwhelming for sure when you get the reactions when you don’t really know (laughs) that that many people are following along. You kind of get into your own little bubble and you’re obviously doing it for yourself and your close family and friends and you don’t really realize the extent of how many people are actually following and paying attention. So that really rang home again during this Vuelta that there was that much awareness out there for that victory!

You along with many other riders, pulled out early to focus on the 2009 Road Worlds. Considering your stage victory at the Vuelta, what are your objectives for the road race in Mendrisio?
RH: It’s simply to have a good ride. If I feel good, and ride the way I know I can, I think I’ve shown myself many times this year at that distance, a classic distance, 250k plus, it’s a whole different ballgame and I feel I’ve matured into a rider that can be around in the final moments of that distance and that’s perfect for me. On a real selective type course like Mendrisio it’s no secret, it’s going to be a hard, attrition course, and you have to be able to deal with 5,000 metres of climbing over six hours, and I think I’ve proven I can be there after that kind of effort.

I have optimism that I’ll have a chance to be around the race in its final moments and then who knows what can happen? You have to enter it with an open mind and then go from there. It’s no secret I’d like to do well at the World Championships, so if I can have a solid ride and close out my season it’ll be that much more perfect. Again, the pressure to perform is not there. My season has gone better than could be expected and I’m content and now it’s just more of an icing on the cake to have a nice day at the Worlds.

With only yourself, Michael Barry and Svein Tuft representing Canada, what strategy will you try to use to go up against the big teams like Spain and Italy?
RH: We only have three guys so we don’t have to be concerned with controlling the race or have the responsibilities of the stronger countries like Italy or Spain with nine guys. We can be quiet and just be there and follow those teams and let them take the initiative and that can definitely play in our favour. So we’re going to just be looking to take any opportunity that comes up and be in the right place and take advantage!

And after that it’s holiday time for you?
RH: Yeah, straight back to Canada a couple days after the Worlds and that’s the end of the year!

For an unbelievably well-deserved rest?
RH: Yeah, it’ll be nice to fully be detached from racing and from biking in general. That first period of being done is important, and I’ll be home with my friends and family and really just enjoying it after a hard season. I’ve been pushing on the pedals really hard since December so it’s been a long year but I’m very pleased with the outcome and I can just enjoy the off-season that much more.

Thanks a lot for all your time throughout the season.
RH: No problem!

Good luck in Mendrisio and say hi to Michael and Svein for us!
RH: Ok, will do, any time!