Whether it's winning a race, competing in the overall classification of a stage race, or supporting their leaders for as long as possible, professional cyclists pace their careers according to the goals they set for themselves. It is in this quest that rider the motivation and physical strength to push themselves beyond their limits every day. Go behind the scenes of Benoît Cosnefroy's preparation to be ready for the big day.
What is a sports goal?
The sporting objective is a goal that athletes strive to achieve several times during their career or even during a single season. It varies depending on the profile, role, and abilities of the rider. After impressive results in one-day races (victory in the Bretagne Classic, victory in the Grand Prix de Québec, 2nd in the Flèche Wallonne, 2nd in the Amstel, 2nd in the Flèche Brabançonne), Benoît Cosnefroy is training and preparing with the aim of winning a major classic, either in Flanders or the Ardennes.
What are the stages of preparation?
When you prepare a sporting goal with an athlete, you have to go through a number of steps to make sure that the goal is appropriate and that it will be achievable in the future. This is the job of Nicolas Guillé, Benoît's coach and sports director for the AG2R CITROËN team.
Validate the race program and target goals:
During the goal-setting phase, coaches and athletic directors sit down with the rider precisely define their athletic goals. It is important to understand what the athlete wants to achieve in order to establish the best plan of attack.
Prepare the training program:
The training programs begin with two initial blocks: early-season training camps, riders a monthly program tailored to each riders goals.
Individualize and support the rider
Each rider monitored and supported by a coach throughout the season. This duo maintains a close relationship to fine-tune their preparation through specific training camps. Either in small groups, for example climbers will go to high-altitude training camp, or individual training camps. Before tackling the "Classics," Benoît Cosnefroy spent five days in the Var region with his coach, Nicolas Guillé.
The coaching process
riders the most significant improvement in the first three or four years. After that, their progress stabilizes, rider more resilient, and can handle heavier workloads. The coach then focuses on other specific areas in order to continue to help the rider progress rider collaborates with other experts within the team (nutritionist, equipment expert, mental coach, data analyst).
The individualized follow-up is therefore very important to know an athlete and to identify the axes of progression over the years. It is necessary to be able to break the habits.
Thanks to AG2R CITROËN's U19 and U23 teams, from which Benoît Cosnefroy hails, the performance unit gains valuable years of experience through historical data and by forging relationships at the very beginning of a rider career.
Communication between coach and rider
The quality of therider relationshiprider a direct impact on preparation. The life rider professional rider is punctuated by constant travel between races and training camps. Most of the time, communication takes place remotely.
Benoît and Nicolas have therefore set up rituals to exchange as much as possible. Debriefing after the races, exchanges after the sessions, a "weekly" every Monday morning.
The pair sometimes meet again during the race. Nicolas, in the earpiece as sports director, Benoît on the bike. An undeniable advantage when it comes to winning.
The state of mind of the preparation
The goal of any athlete participating in a sport is to be as mentally prepared as possible. This means having the right mindset to be able to succeed in their athletic goals.
For Nicolas Guillé, the success of an athlete's preparation goes beyond numbers and "watts." Above all, it's about building a human relationship. There are things that can be felt but not measured. Details that allow the coach to push the rider their limits.
Benoît Cosnefroy: "When Nicolas is there on certain specific sessions, he pushes me and allows me to go further. If I did this session alone at home, I might not go as far in the effort because we can simulate race situations."
As we approach the goal
The goal is approaching and preparations are complete. Hours spent in the saddle, discussions and adjustments to ensure readiness at the starting line. In these final moments, the coach steps back and allows the rider their bubble.
"I'm mainly focused on my preparation. I need to be sure that we have everything in place to be ready," says Benoit Cosnefroy. He continues: "Then it's the race. You can arrive at the top of your form, it is the race that will decide the result. I'm concentrating on a block of events rather than on one race in particular. The "Classics" are coming up, I'm ready, but if I don't get the result I want in the first race, it doesn't matter. There is a month of competition. You have to be on top of your game throughout this block and be able to seize the opportunities."
The work is done, the difference will be made on the road. We pin on the number. Let's start the race.
