2. Last year you joined Masters tour of Chiangmai Race, This time you come for Tour of Friendship R1. Both are very popular cycling race for Foreigner. How do you compare? Which one is tough? How about the organize? Which is more enjoyable for you?
ในปีที่แล้วคุณได้มาร่วมงานมาสเตอร์ทัวร์ออฟเชียงใหม่ คราวนี้คุณได้มาร่วมงานทัวร์ออฟเฟรนด์ชิฟไทยแลนด์ ซึ่งทั้ง 2 งานต่างเป็นที่นิยมในหมู่นักปั่นต่างชาติ คุณมีความเห็นอย่างไรระหว่างทั้ง 2 งานนี้ งานไหนหนักกว่า? การจัดการเป็นอย่างไร? งานไหนสนุกกว่า?
As you say, all both are very popular in Thailand and the organizer are now very professional. This is the reason that each year, a lot of riders including foreigners take part to the race. Nice and varied stages, and good accommodations made a friendly atmosphère. Every riders can compete in his categories and then fight himself for the yellow jersey and stages victories.
Both are also different. Master Tour of Chiang Mai take part in the North of Thaïlande and all stages are mostly hilly with KOM every days. Roads are more narrow and the level in open category is higher because most of the national Thaï riders take part to the race. All starts and finish are closed to Chiang Mai, so can race in the morning and enjoy your free time during the afternoon.
Tour of Friendship looks like a Tour de France. Flat time trial, long sprint stage, hilly stage, mountain stage and the last one shorter but more intense. Every rider has a chance to get a victory.
So all both are enjoyable.
I just land the day before the start, so my shape will be better stages after stages. I was the only Cycam rider in open category. It's was like a chess game. Be smart and attack only for the win. My plan was to wait and create a breakaway in the queen stage in order to create a big gap. I won and take the lead, that was perfect!
I am really happy to offer this victory to the Cycam team.
4. How long have you've been retired from professional cyclist?, How much do you weight now? How much do you weight at that time? How many hours do you train each week now?
My last race as a pro rider was Paris-Tour in October 2014. Now, I still ride because I enjoy cycling but my company doesn't permit myself to train as I want and as I do like I was doing when I was a pro rider.
I trained 25 to 30h per week for 30000km/year. Now I am 5kg heavier and I only ride 13000km/year and most of the time with customers in the French Alps.
Hopefully my cycling experience allowed me to race and stay in the front of the ranking.
5. I know you've ridden many bikes in your professional career. This time you've won the race with Sarto Dinamica, Which is customizable for your size. How do you think about the frame? How do you compare the feeling of this Italian Handmade with previous bikes you've ridden?
ผมรู้ว่าในสมัยที่คุณเป็นโปรจักรยานนั้นคุณต้องได้ปั่นจักรยานมาหลากหลายยี่ห้อเป็นแน่ ในครั้งนี้คุณได้ปั่นจักรยานยี่ห้อ Sarto รุ่น Dinamica ซึ่งได้สั่งตัดเป็นพิเศษมาให้มีขนาดพอดีกับตัวคุณ อยากให้คุณบรรยายความแตกต่างระหว่างจักรยานคันนี้กับคันอื่นๆที่คุณได้เคยปั่นมา (Sarto เป็นจักรยานแฮนด์เมดจากประเทศอิตาลี คำว่า Sarto "ซาโต้" ในภาษาอังกฤษคือ Tailor ซึ่งหมายถึงช่างตัดเสื้อ)
Yes, when you're a pro rider. Every year, you ride a new bike. That's awesome!
Sarto is an historical bike company with a big expertise in carbon frame set manufacture. Sarto doesn't build frame with compromises. Stiff for fast rides and confortable for long rides and dirty road. I am also in trust during downhills, take sharp turns, brake late is allowed because the frame is well balanced. I feel in security on this bike, because, he is light and robust. To have your best bike you ever ride, contact Sarto and they will you their experience to made a tailor frame set and then your bike fitting will be perfect. Just had a custom painting following your spirit and you get a singular bike.
6. How about Oseous Wheels (Jean Lou used 38 mm "all-rounder" and 58 mm "spinter") What's it characteristic? How do you explain about their performance?
I test the both wheels and 38mm is really the best wheels for racers. its lightness give you the opportunities to fight for KOM, brake hard and late with its ceramic surface and sprint with his stiffness.
58mm is better for solo rides, and Time Trials. A little bit heavier than 38mm is better to maintain your speed during flat section ride but slower for tempo changement during attacks.
38mm is also a little bit more comfortable on dirty roads.
