July 27, 2010 (Biarritz, France) – This July, Canadians from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland and Labrador were increasingly transfixed by Ryder Hesjedal’s (Garmin-Transition) exploits at the Tour de France. They may not have heard of him before July, but his breakaway effort and 4th place on Stage 3 vaulted him into 4th on GC, earned him the day’s “Most Aggressive Rider” prize and put him in the national spotlight.

That spotlight shone for longer than anyone would have imagined and he soon attracted international recognition as well. The Victoria, BC, native rode strongly for the entire race, excelling in the Alps and the Pyrenees, including a 4th place finish on the Tour’s Queen stage, which finished on the top of the brutal Col du Tourmalet.

After pedaling a gruelling 3,642 kilometres in 21 days, Hesjedal finished in 7th overall, a mere 10 minutes and 15 seconds behind winner Alberto Contador. His 7th place was the second-highest Canadian finish ever at the Tour, behind the legendary Steve Bauer’s 4th place in 1988.

While the average Canadian may not have heard of Hesjedal before July, his stunning performance and perfectly appropriate first name, ensured that once they heard it, they wouldn’t forget it. And it’s a given that Canadians and other cycling fans worldwide will be hearing the name of Ryder Hesjedal a lot more in the future. We caught up with Hesjedal by phone a few days after his breakthrough Tour was over:

Hi Ryder. I hear bustling in the background, where are you?
Ryder Hesjedal: Just in Biarritz (France.) Getting some sun and beach and recuperating from the Tour. San Sebastian’s just 45 minutes south of here so I’ll be working my way down there before the race Saturday (Clásica San Sebastián ProTour race.)

Sounds perfect. First of all, congratulations on an incredible Tour!
RH: Thank you!

Fourth place on the Tourmalet after almost three weeks of giving it your all – what was that experience like?
RH: Oh, that was unreal! Obviously we knew that was going to be a big day. The way the rest of the Pyrenees had gone I was super confident, I felt like I was getting better throughout the week. I was just really focused on that day and it all unfolded really well. It was an unbelievable way to solidify things and put a stamp on my Tour – and I decided to carry it through to the TT and that’s what I was able to do.

How tough was that Time Trial, how much did you leave out there on the road?
RH: (Laughs) Oh, it was incredibly hard. Just the circumstances, you know, defending a high GC spot but also having the belief that I could move up (from 8th place entering the TT,) I also had a lot of pressure that I put on myself. The conditions that day – the last guys faced the worst conditions with a lot of wind. And unfortunately my radio didn’t work pretty much right from the beginning of the race so it was a little bit stressful. I just didn’t really know what was happening and was suffering the whole time, knowing a lot was on the line. So I was able come across the finish line and was told that I’d had a good ride and that was a relief. I ended up moving into 7th and I wasn’t too far off (Rabobank’s Robert) Gesink in 6th. I know for a fact as I spoke with him, that he knew I was approaching his time and he was told that by his directors. I think he went really deep in the last portion of his time trial to defend his 6th spot. That’s always a nice feeling to know that you’re pushing the other guys. I couldn’t be more happy to finish 7th overall in the Tour.

Where do those two days rank among the days on the bike that you’ve experienced?
RH: Well really this whole Tour has been huge, just really where I always saw myself. I’ve been riding well in the big mountains in my previous Tours, getting in the breakaways and helping Christian (Vande Velde) in the third week of the Tour. Since my Stage 3 result I was more than confident and hopeful that I could carry it right through the whole race. From Stage 3 to Stage 12, where I was really pushing to be in the breakaway, those are big days in my eyes. Obviously the Tourmalet, but even earlier in the Pyrenees over the (Port de) Pailhères (Stage 14,) to be at the front and get over with the guys that were in the high GC and moving up since that point – that’s exactly where I saw myself being. I was really pleased I was able to ride that way and actually do it at the Tour de France. I mean, there are a lot of guys who are in good shape and capable but still, you have to do it and that’s the beauty of it and what I was able to reach at this Tour de France.

What was your most memorable or favourite moment of the race?
RH: Hah, that’s a good question. I mean, there were a lot in this race. I’d definitely say Stage 3, being out front on the cobbles, challenging for the stage victory that early in the race, directly after the traumatic day for a lot of people and obviously our team (Christian Vande Velde crashed and was unable to start Stage 3). I felt very fortunate to be able to race that way. I would say that the cobbles of Arenberg and the Tourmalet were really the highlights. To be 4th on both those stages, I think those were the key moments of my Tour. But also stage 12, really pushing the race and not being scared to really go for it. A lot of guys say that was the hardest day of the Tour because of the circumstances. There were quite a few moments I’m really proud of.

And what about the most difficult moment – what was the toughest moment of the three weeks for you?
RH: Ummm… that’s a good question, too. Let’s see…

I guess it’s good if you can’t think of one!
RH: (Laughs) Yeah! I felt good in a sense the whole time. I’ve definitely suffered a lot more in bike racing than any moment at this year’s Tour de France. I was just so focused and ready for the challenge right from the beginning. Probably the time trial was the hardest in that it’s just you out there – that’s a hard situation, especially at the end of a race like that. But if you look at the results I had the 5th best time out of the GC riders, less than a minute behind Alberto so all in all that was a really good ride as well in the time trial. So sometimes your feelings don’t correlate to your performance and that’s really what the TT was for me, versus some other days. On the Tourmalet I felt great, I was able to distance myself at the end in the hardest moments from the strongest guys in the race. I was nothing but ecstatic with what I was able to do!

This it the third Tour de France you’ve finished (he was 45th in 2008 and 49th last year) but this experience was different than the others. What were your emotions as you rode along the Champs-Élysées in Paris, having accomplished a 7th place finish?
RH: Ahh, just relief, simply relief – yeah, just that. I mean, it’s a long race. Again, when I put myself in that position on Stage 3 to be 4th in the (General) Classification after the 3rd stage and be as high as 3rd after the first decisive day in the Alps, slide back a little bit but hover around the Top 10 the whole time and slowly work my way back up through the Pyrenees in the end – it’s hard to describe the feeling you get from that and how I was able to finish that off. The Tour de France is epic in so many ways, I mean even just to finish it is something special when you arrive at the Champs-Élysées. For me to be where I was in the race with what I had accomplished it was pretty powerful to cross that line.

You’ve made cycling history again as your 7th place at the Tour is the second best result for a Canadian after Bauer’s 4th place in 1988. What does it mean to be mentioned in the same sentence as Steve Bauer?
RH: Yeah, it’s great! Not taking away from Steve’s great result but I think that 7th place in modern day cycling with the technology and the advances in bike racing, I mean I couldn’t be more pleased with what I was able to do. I hope people realize what a 7th place finish at the Tour de France at this time means. If I can ever better Steve’s performance, that’s gonna be something special, but I’m just happy that there’s a Maple Leaf and a Canadian in the results.

So what does this mean for Canadian cycling? Do you feel like a 7th place finish and all the news you been making across Canada can help inspire another generation of Canadian riders?
RH: Oh, sure! I’ve already had so many comments through my website in that respect. People are more than excited, they tell me how their children are following and excited about bike racing because they’re watching me in the Tour de France. That gives me huge pride that there are going to be people that are getting motivated from what I’ve done. That’s what I found myself accomplishing when I was younger. I think it’s great for the sport, I hope it does build the energy and get more awareness in cycling, and not just for sport but for the health benefits, the lifestyle. The bicycle’s an amazing tool, invention. For me it’s everything – it’s how I explore, make my living, but also just it’s part of me, I think that the more people that find out about cycling, the better.

Fellow Canuck Michael Barry also talks about riding as a lifestyle. Both of you finished the Tour and the last time two Canadians finished the Tour de France was in 1986 when Bauer and Alex Stieda did it. Did you have a chance to talk to Barry much at this Tour?
RH: Yeah, but really only on the last day, it was pretty mellow for the first couple of hours after the race. We were able to talk and relax, we knew we would finish the Tour de France and it was a big moment for him, being at his first Tour and finishing it. For him to see me do so well in such a short time since I’ve been able to be at the Tour – I think he really was very proud of that and that was a nice moment to share. It’s great for Canadian cycling and I think the sport in Canada is the healthiest it’s been for a long time, maybe ever.

I’m sure you’ve heard from your teammates, Svein Tuft and Christian Meier – what have they had to say?
RH: Oh, for sure. All my teammates and friends and family have sent me their well wishes and support. Svein and Christian being in Canada, being in BC around Tour time, they were seeing the benefits of me doing well over here and seeing that back home – that was nice and they were reflecting on what was happening. They were racing in BC and were able to see me over here and I’m sure it gave them extra motivation and it made a nice little break for them over the summer. I’m sure they’re hungry to get to the Tour so I think it’s all positive.

You’ve finished 7th at the Tour and done well on days as different as the Tourmalet and the cobblestone stages – how does that translate into confidence and no limitations as to what you can accomplish?
RH: It wasn’t just this Tour de France, it’s really been these last few years that I’ve really gotten to where I thought I would be and raced that way. The results I’ve been able to post in these last few years and especially last year in the second half and through the start of this year. Yeah, I don’t really have any limits in my eyes of what’s possible. I’m at a really good time in my career right now. I turn 30 in December and I feel good. I feel like I’m capable of a lot more. I got stronger as the race went on – a lot of analysts and critics are calling this the hardest Tour de France in a long time so there’s nothing but confidence now. I just have to be careful in the way I continue to approach the sport and if I can keep things going the way they have been, it’ll be great!

What did it feel like seeing your teammates wearing those “Oh, Hesjedal/Weight of a Nation” t-shirts, and can you imagine how many you’ll see when you get back home to BC?
RH: (Laughs) Yeah, that was special for sure to see the entire team, staff, riders, wearing a t-shirt with my name and the Canadian flag on it – that was pretty special! I was just so focused on the race that at times I didn’t really think of it so much but I then realized, hey, all these guys are wearing these shirts, they’re supporting me 100% and I am doing something really big at this Tour de France. It’s pretty overwhelming, that support. It’s nice, I think I’ve done a really good job for this team, it’s really nice to be in that position and to be able to perform well and to have the support of a lot of people.

I saw a news piece with your parents and they showed the picture of the Arc de Triomphe you have in your living room…
RH: Yeah, I had a real nice picture framed up a few years back. I had that and all my mountain bike World Championship medals with my World Championship jersey all blocked out. My two main pieces were my accomplishments on the mountain bike and a picture of the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe. That was the moment I stopped mountain biking and decided to commit to the road. Obviously to race at the Tour de France is the highest level, so I was always looking toward that goal and I had that to remind me that’s what I wanted to do. I was able to arrive there in 2008, about three years after I really committed to that goal. And that’s what it’s all about – it’s really about visualizing and committing to something and that’s the beauty when that commitment or dream or goal is realized. And for me, in my cycling career so far, everything I’ve set out to do, or dreamed, or visualized or set as a goal, I’ve accomplished.

Your parents seemed really proud to see you living your dream like this.
RH: Yeah, they’re a little overwhelmed by the media too, that the news crews are coming out to the house to talk to them. But that’s what it’s all about – they’re my parents, they’re who helped me get to this point and supported me since the very beginning, so that’s definitely a huge and important part of the story and it’s fun to see them talking about that and being there!

That’s great. Thanks a lot! Congratulations on a great Tour and good luck in San Sebastian and beyond.
RH: Alright Amy – thank you, any time!

July 31 (Girona, Spain) – Two days after Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin – Slipstream) finished his second Tour de France (49th place on GC, to go with his 45th last year) I called him at our appointed interview time and heard all sorts of noise in the background.

Hi Ryder, it’s Amy.
Ryder Hesjedal: Oh, hey, hi there.

Sounds like you’re in the middle of something – what’s going on there?
RH: Just relaxing, enjoying Girona

Are you at a fiesta?
RH: No… we’re just out in the pedestrian area.

Nice! We were scheduled to do our interview now but if you want to wait until later when you get back home, that’s fine.
RH: Yes… how about in the next couple of hours?

Sure, no problem. Just email me when you get back.
RH: Ok, cool, that sounds great, thanks.

A few hours later I received a brief email, “Is mañana ok?” Of course we were more than happy to oblige anyone who has just ridden 3,500 kilometres at what is arguably the world’s most grueling sporting event!

Ryder and I were able to catch up the next day, amidst telltale sounds of people enjoying the Spanish summer.

Hi Ryder.
RH: Hey Amy.

Are you still out – or should I say out again – hopefully not “still”.
RH: (Laughs) No, not from last night, no, no.

Where are you?
RH: We’re down on the beach. We’ve just been hanging out in the sun and enjoying the Mediterranean and all that.

Have you had fun in Girona these past few days? It must be nice to have some down time!
RH: Yeah, just been enjoying life, relaxing, hanging out with friends and not stressing about anything. It’s been good to just enjoy the surroundings because normally we’re here always grinding away for the next race on the schedule.

Do you mind talking a bit about the grinding away from last week?
RH: No, no problem!

In the final week on Stage 16 over Grand and Petit-Saint-Bernard Bradley Wiggins was able to follow Frank and Andy Schleck’s attacks when guys like Carlos Sastre and Cadel Evans couldn’t. How impressed were you and the rest of the team by what Bradley was doing?
RH: Well, yeah, clearly Brad was one of the strongest guys at the Tour, bar none, to more or less be there every day with the guys who thought they were capable of winning the Tour. The only one that no one could follow was Alberto Contador, but everyone else was able to match each other and play out the race. I think everyone was more than pleased and pleasantly surprised to watch Brad be able to follow the best of the best and perform in the mountains and out-perform a lot of those guys in the Time Trial. Fourth overall in the first Tour he’s really tried at.. who knows where things will go from there? As a whole the team’s performance at this Tour was pretty impressive, and I think everyone’s enjoying the results of that right now. I think it will still take a while to sink in, and fully realize what we actually did. It was an unreal performance by the team and I’m happy to be a part of it.

Yes it was impressive. Paul Sherwen (TV commentator) said there were three dominant teams in the Tour this year – Astana, Saxo Bank and Garmin – and that Garmin has matured and been solid at every tactical place they need to be. Do you feel proud that your team has gained a so much respect in such a short time?
RH: Yeah, that kind of recognition is what you look for. I mean, you want to be out there, you want to perform but it’s not simply just performing, it’s having that respect and having that compliment from people that are established in the sport and realize what the performances really meant – that’s all part of it. It does make you feel proud to accomplish those things and that’s all part of why you get out of bed and work hard and try to accomplish them. I’m happy to be a part of this group. It’s Garmin-Slipstream’s second Tour de France and I think we showed we’re a team to be reckoned with.

Brad’s final 4th place on GC equaled Christian Vande Velde’s finish last year. The team had a bunch of 2nd and 3rd places on stages, a fantastic showing. In addition to the talent, what other aspects help contribute to the team’s success?
RH: Simply that we knew we could be competitive in the sprints with Tyler (Farrar.) You look at teams like Astana and Saxo Bank, they’re not contesting the sprints at all, that’s a whole different component of each day. So to be able to bring a roster that’s competing in the sprints, also putting guys in the General (Classification) close to the podium, putting guys in the attacks and the breakaways, finishing second overall in the team (competition,) that means we had three guys up there every day and for us to be the second-best team in the Tour de France, that’s a complete team. That’s a big attribute that we’re all proud of confirming that we did assemble a squad that was capable of approaching every day, be it sprints, mountains, GC, the big picture of three weeks, the daily challenges – breakaways, going to the line. The only thing we were short on was an actual stage win, but I think the 2nd place finishes that we had were very good performances and the differences were small between second and first – that’s the way it goes. But in the big picture I think we performed very, very well and that’s all we can ask for. We finished with 9 guys (note: one of only six teams to finish the 2009 Tour de France intact,) there are so many little categories that you can check off to have a successful race, so I think we’re nailing all those categories pretty well.

Stage 17 from Bourg-Saint-Maurice to le Grand-Bornand had five categorized climbs including the Colombière and you finished in 26th at 7:47 back, in a small group with Sastre, the defending champion and a great climber. How tough was that stage and how satisfying was that result for you personally?
RH: Yeah, everyone said that maybe that was the hardest day of the Tour, the most decisive. The main goal was to get Brad and Christian to the (Col de) Romme, the second to last climb, and from there the GC guys would be battling themselves. But again, we were also looking at the Team Classification and the third guy is contributing to that, so for me to be the guy that was still grinding along helping those guys…

It’s one thing to be protected and sheltered and setting up for when the race really goes down at the start of the second to last climb, but also if you’re a guy who’s helping that happen, getting bottles, positioning, spending energy for those guys through the day – but you still have to push through to the end – it’s a whole kind of different situation within the race. So that ended up kind of being my niche of the race, being that guy that was not really conserving through the day but was still pushing through to the finish and being able to be still performing well and being the third guy, helping toward the Team Classification and just being there. If Christian or Brad would have been maybe a couple percent worse, I would be around those guys and still be there to help them or do whatever is needed. It just never happened to be that there were any major breakdowns. They were around me once all the work was done and I was riding all of those climbs and getting to the finish. They were always able to stay ahead of me, which is what you want, that’s the main idea. Yeah, to just continue on in those stages and finish in a good way is all part of the process, and getting through these races and still developing and going through the motions. For me to just sit up and ride in with the gruppetto after the work is done isn’t really what I’m looking for. That wasn’t really the place for me to be and I think I showed that on Ventoux as well and the harder stages in the third week.

Mont Ventoux is difficult enough as it is, but after 19 stages, how tough is it to tackle something like the Giant of Provence?
RH: Heh heh… I actually felt pretty good, relative to the whole situation, being the end of the three-week Tour de France! It was a little hectic the way the peloton split up heading into the climb there. Unfortunately I wasn’t in the front split, so I actually started the climb a couple minutes down behind however many guys were in that front group – maybe 20 or 25 guys – and then there were 10 or so guys from the breakaway. So for me to go up that climb and be less than six minutes down in the mid-30s (35th @ 5:45), performance-wise I was really pleased with that. It’s just good to go up Mont Ventoux at the end for the Tour feeling good and still pushing well and I was really pleased to get through that kind of day, the penultimate day, and feel good. So far in the few days since the Tour has finished I feel good and I don’t feel completely empty or totally wrecked and that was hopefully the idea when I set out in May and took a break (skipping the Giro d’Italia).

How did the experience of your second Tour de France compare to your first?
RH: The seasons are kind of hard to compare, just the fact that the Giro (last year’s Giro d’Italia) was tough – I know guys that did the Giro this year and it was nothing compared to last year. To go through that Giro, and then do the Tour de France – for the first time to race both – prepares you for anything and that’s all that was. Heading into the Tour this year it wasn’t my first time. I’d been there, I’d gone through it in a hard way after the 2008 Giro. To do the Giro and then the Tour is a lot different than only preparing for the Tour and that’s the route I went with this year – it’s just a different approach. I think I was able to be a better rider this year than last year and that was the idea. And now I’ll see how I can turn this Tour’s experience into something positive at this year’s Vuelta (a España). Then I’ll look at 2010 and try and put together a new plan. Just simply not being the first time was all that I needed to reflect on through the race and know I’d been there before and gone through it and done that.

And now you’re the first Canadian to finish the Tour de France two consecutive years since Steve Bauer did it in 1990 and 1991. That has to be a nice feeling!
RH: Yeah! I saw the one stat just recently that Bauer did eleven Tours! So that was a little bit daunting to see that stat – ha! I don’t know if I’ll be able to do eleven (note: Bauer finished nine Tours de France,) but it is encouraging for little things like that, two times in a row, Steve Bauer, first Giro-Tour (double in one year) since Bauer, stuff like that. It’s definitely nice to hear and to know that you’re in company like that!

What was your favourite moment at this year’s Tour?
RH: Hmmm… well, that’s a hard one! Definitely the Team Time Trial was a big day. My situation in that race was a bit unique and I was happy to be in that position and make it through and have the team get through the way we did – that was a pretty special day.

But also Stage 15, being in that breakaway and flying through Switzerland. It was a pretty strong break and I was really knowing that the finish suited me and dreaming of having a chance to contest the stage – I mean, you only get so many opportunities in the Tour. To make it into breakaways like that is pretty hard and I was there and you’re always dreaming of that sort of thing. It was a pretty awesome day out front in those conditions in the Alps starting the third week. I’ll always remember that for sure!

How about your worst moment?
RH: Probably heading out of Andorra (Stage 8.) I was in the gruppetto within a few kilometres of a long day (laughs.) That’s not a common place for me in that sort of race, with mountains like that, so it was a little bit of a long day and I’ll definitely remember that. But it’s fun to be in those situations and see how the other guys do it – not by choice – but they have to get through the race that way. The guys that aren’t conducive to the climbing stages, they rally together and make it through day by day. So that was a day I won’t forget (laughs.)

You mentioned the Vuelta earlier. What’s your program coming up and what goals do you have for the rest of the season?
RH: I’m doing San Sebastian on Saturday, GP Plouay before the Vuelta, then the Vuelta, then World Championships, then that’ll be it. I just want to keep the momentum going in stage races, Grand Tours. I think that the team we’ll send (to the Vuelta) will be very competitive. We’ll be looking to try and win a stage or two, and be part of continuing the type of racing we did in this Tour, I think it will be a successful Vuelta.

And then after the Road Worlds you’ll get some real rest.
RH: Yeah, yeah. The real rest will come in October, that’s for sure!

Thanks for all your time before, during and now after the Tour – we realize how stressful it is for you!
RH: No, no, my pleasure!