French time trialist and Classics rider Rémi Cavagna has stated {that a} language barrier and sudden modifications in his race programme are partly guilty for his lacklustre first half of the 2024 season after his transfer to Movistar.
Cavagna, 28, joined the longstanding Spanish WorldTour group after seven seasons with the QuickStep Belgian squad however has had below-expectations leads to his races by way of to mid-June.
Within the Classics, his greatest inserting was forty seventh in E3 Harelbeke, and whereas he not too long ago claimed fourth within the French Nationwide Championships, that was his one high ten time trial outcome this season to this point.
The previous double French time trial champion informed L’Équipe that he has but to settle in fully along with his new squad, Movistar. He stated a language barrier was making it troublesome to speak at instances, and modifications in his race programme weren’t serving to both.
Contacted by Cyclingnews about Cavagna’s interview, Movistar stated they’d no remark to make.
Talking earlier than he completed fourth within the French TT Nationals behind new champion Bruno Armirail (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) and only a second off the rostrum, Cavagna added he was unsure of a begin in Movistar’s Tour de France group – one other pre-season aim.
Requested by L’Équipe if he had anticipated such a troublesome transition from one group to a different, he stated “To inform the reality, no. I didn’t think about it being so exhausting.“
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“I spent seven nice years at QuickStep, it was all simple, however I’d received to an age the place I needed to attempt one thing completely different. In any case, I don’t remorse my determination.”
Cavagna stated that whereas very proud of the expertise of working with a brand new squad – “I’ve been enriched by that” – he had, he stated, needed extra freedom of alternative relating to his race program.
One of many largest obstacles he confronted was “the language barrier.”
“I’ve progressed in Spanish, I’ve taken some programs, I invested in that and I perceive nearly every thing. However after I wish to specific myself a bit, I’ve discovered myself on the restrict, and it’s a bit garbage when I attempt to combine myself.”
“The Spanish kind a little bit of a block within the group, every thing’s in Spanish on the race radio, and that’s sophisticated within the vital moments of the race.”
As for the modifications in race programme, Cavagna claimed preliminary plans that he do the Criterium du Dauphiné have been scrapped, and that it remained unsure if he would do the Tour de France.
“I don’t find out about it but, it was confirmed however for the second, I don’t have a lot information,” he informed the French newspaper.
“I’ve appeared over the Tour time trial levels, they’re very nice, there are different nice levels. And I do know {that a} victory on the Tour can change a profession. If I do not do the Tour, it might be an actual blow to me.”
“However I’m not dropping hope. Regardless that I have never had a spectacular season, I really feel like I am gaining momentum and if I had a free-wheeling position within the Tour, it could solely want one stage to vary a season and go from pink to inexperienced.”
“I modified groups to vary issues and I really feel like I am nonetheless at sq. one,” he added with a smile. “I did not join this.”
He additionally admitted that his change of coach in 2024 in addition to switching from a Specialised to a Canyon bike at Movistar had not been as simple as he would have appreciated.
“I got here to the group to evolve and issues are going downhill for now. However I’m not right here to complete within the high 50 within the Tour of Belgium. I’m value greater than that.”
“We have now to speak, that’s the idea of every thing, similar to in a relationship,” he insisted about his group, with which he has a 3 yr contract, “that method we will advance collectively.”
“Proper now, I’m not giving them something and so they’re not giving me something. It’s sophisticated.”
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