Winter Olympians sure do like cycling, it seems. And why not? Some of the events like speedskating or cross-country skiing have lots of commonalities…most demanding mad cardio.
Less than two months after racing to fourth in the 5,000 m and seventh in the 3,000 m at the Winter Games, Sandrine Tas is already onto her next challenge. That means lining up at Flèche Wallonne for her road debut this season.
It’s a big way to break the ice. But she also isn’t taking it lightly. Tas kept it simple: “I think it’s super cool that I can start in this race.”
The build-up has been short, given her recent Olympic experience. Tas only returned to full training on March 1.
The Mur de Huy, in particular, is a…well, nasty introduction. Now, it’s not like Flèche is her first bike race ever. That would be a big ask of both her, and her Lotto Intermarché Ladies team. It is, however, her first pro race. She’s raced for several years on top Club teams. Last year, she had some notable results, including an 8th at the Belgian road nationals.
Tas said it’s “unrealistic” to expect she’ll be mixing it with the top names in the finale this early into her cycling switch, pointing instead to a more modest target: gaining experience.
It’s common for speedskaters to use cycling for cardio. Why? Because it’s hard to hold the aggressive position too long in training. That means using other methods to get the peak fitness they need to compete in the gruelling sport. Clara Hughes was a master at both sports, earning medals at the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Taylor Phinney’s mother, Connie Carpenter-Phinney, also excelled on the snow and on the boards and road. She first competed at the 1972 Winter Olympics before focusing on both road and track cycling, where she won multiple medals at the world championships.
Just recently, another Winter Olympian announced he would be riding a trial period. Émilien Jacquelin signed with the Decathlon CMA CGM Conti squad after a successful Winter Olympics, where he took a gold medal in the relay. He said the idea had been “in the back of my mind for a while,” even as he continues to keep one eye on the 2030 Olympic Games in France. “I have always ridden,” he said. “But now every day will be a new challenge.”
There were rumours that cross-country skiing star would sign with Norwegian team Uno-X. He has six Olympic gold medals, and rumours swirled, but they ended up just that, rumours.
As far as Sandrine Tas, she’s been all-in on the sport in recent weeks. “After my skating season, I took some time to rest and recharge. Since the Opening Weekend, I’ve been following the races on TV, and it definitely gives you the urge to be out there in the peloton yourself,” she said.
For now, the goal is straightforward. “Above all, suffer, learn and try to finish,” she said — and see how long she can last on one of cycling’s steepest stages. “I’m really looking forward to wearing the Lotto–Intermarché kit for the first time,” she added.
There are eight Canadians racing on Wednesday. You can watch it on Flobikes.com, and Canadian Cycling Magazine will also have full reports on both men’s and women’s races.