CyclistValentin Madouas Q&A: The one major objective for my career is to win a stage at the Tour de FranceLast season, you became French champion. Is this something you ever believed you could achieve?Yes, its a dream that came true. It was a really hard race. Physically, I was having the best day of my life, it was a real test and a dream that Ive had since Ive been a pro. Its a race that we won together, the team and I, and it was the collective strength of the team that meant I was able to win.After that, you won your home race, the Bretagne Classic, in Brittany. What did that mean to you?It was my first WorldTour win, so it was very important for me. My goal at the start of the year was to win a WorldTour race and to be French champion, so I was really happy to win these two races and above all to win at Plouay. Once again, this was a race Id been dreaming about winning since I was a child. Its the only Classic in Brittany, where I live, so it was a really fine victory and something that just means so much to me.If 2023 was a good year, can 2024 be even better?Yes, it has to be better for me. Last year I set myself some objectives that were high but achievable. This year I hope to make further progress and be even stronger. The start of the season has been a bit trickier, but starting from E3 in Belgium I was working to reach my top level by the time of Lige-Bastogne-Lige and then there are some very important races, with the Tour de France and I hope the Olympic Games.Which areas are you working to improve?I want to be more consistent. Ive been working on adding a bit more depth, doing more hours on the bike to be even stronger at the end of races. And experience comes into it too. Im 27 years old, Im starting to know the routes, the places that are really important in a particular race, and thats whats making the difference for me. Related Posts Critrium du Dauphin 2024: Route, TV guide and everything you need to know Cyclists 5 favourite Thibaut Pinot moments Mens Tour de France 2024 route announced: What will riders face on the road from Florence to Nice? Francesco Rachello/Tornanti.ccYou are now a leader at FDJ. How is that going?Its true that the team has changed with the retirement of Thibaut Pinot and the departure of Arnaud Dmare. Ive always been a protected rider, but Im one of the oldest riders in the team now, and that does change things. Im trying to train the young guys, to create a group and move the collective forward and thats more what my role is now. But I like this role and I hope I can do it 100%.Who on the team do you admire the most?For the young guys, Romain Grgoire and Lenny Martinez are very strong. I was always very close to Thibaut Pinot, we were very similar types of people, we understood each other very well and hes a rider who marked the start of my career with the pros he helped me have confidence in myself. Its a mix between young guys and older riders and thats whats great about this team.Whats your favourite moment in your career so far?There have been a lot of good times. Of course, the French Championships, also Plouay, and when Thibaut retired last year at Il Lombardia, that was a really special week. Those three moments stand out the most. Also, my first win as a professional at Paris-Bourges [in 2018] which was fantastic.Which race would you most like to win?Thats a hard one. There are loads, but the main one for me is the Tour of Flanders. Its a Monument and a race Id really like to win [Madouas came third in 2022]. Hard races like Strade Bianche are the races I dream about, and then of course the Olympic Games, the World Championships and not forgetting the one major objective for my career: to win a stage of the Tour de France.What would it mean to represent France at a home Olympic Games this year?It would mean so much. Its been a life goal for me since I was a child; I used to watch the Olympic Games on television and this year we are incredibly lucky to have the Olympics in France, on a course that suits me. Its an honour to be able to wear the colours of France. There will be a huge amount of people watching the race. I hope Ill be there; I hope to ride well and do everything so that a French rider wins a medal at this race.What motivates you to get up and ride a bike every morning?A lot of things; I love my sport, I love training. Personally, its a way to think about something else and to feel good. After that, I think about races, about winning. I love competition, I love racing against strong opponents and that feeling when you win a race is truly unbelievable.During the off-season you climbed 6,000m Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. What made you want to do that?My partner and I like a challenge and things that are a little bit different. We like to travel, and the dream was to go on safari. We took advantage of having Mount Kilimanjaro nearby, and we had a fantastic week climbing it, where all we had to think about was ourselves and our bodies. Its an experience Id recommend to everyone.What else do you enjoy besides cycling?Cycling takes up a lot of time in my life, but I really enjoy spending time with my family. Its really important for me to have a bit of balance in my life. I like nature, the sea, maybe doing a bit of sailing and just thinking of something other than cycling is something that does me a lot of good.Career highlightsBorn: Brest, France, 12th July 1996Team: Groupama-FDJNotable recent results20247th, Lige-Bastogne-Lige6th Amstel Gold Race20231st, French Road Race National Championships1st, Bretagne Classic2nd, Strade Bianche20221st, Mountains classification, Paris-Nice3rd, Tour of Flanders10th, Tour de France This article originally appeared in issue 152 of Cyclist magazine.Click here to subscribe Related Posts Critrium du Dauphin 2024: Route, TV guide and everything you need to know Cyclists 5 favourite Thibaut Pinot moments Mens Tour de France 2024 route announced: What will riders face on the road from Florence to Nice? The post Valentin Madouas Q&A: The one major objective for my career is to win a stage at the Tour de France appeared first on Cyclist.