John Gadret returns to cyclo-cross
Road racer and climbing specialist John Gadret has an unusual approach to his winter training. The French cyclist, riding for team AG2R-La Mondiale during the road season, is not the only road racer who began his professional career in cyclo-cross, cycling’s
winter sport, but he is unique in that he still competes in the cross season during the winter. The two-time French national cross champion will begin his winter season on Sunday in Saverne.
“Then I’ll probably race more in Belgium,” said Gadret to Velochrono. “As I did last year, I will ride between 20 and 25 cross races this winter.”
The European road season ended at the Giro di Lombardia earlier this month and for many cyclists that means the brief autumn one-month respite before the training camps are set up in November and the build up to January’s big races begins. For many cyclists,
the road season starts in Australia at the Tour Down Under or in Asia at the Tour of Qatar, both in the latter half of January.
Gadret is targeting the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships this winter, though he admits it’s not a sure thing that he will be accepted.
“If I have a place,” says Gadret when asked about the worlds. “I say this because the young riders are developing well.”
Gadret has three top-10 World Championships results and a long list of top-20s in road cycling stage races, including once in each of the three Grand Tours, but few victories. His top season was in 2007, where he seemed to hit his stride, winning the GP
Kanton Aargau and taking a stage and the overall victory at the Tour de l’Ain.
He failed to follow that form though, with only one victory in 2008 and none in 2009. This season he finished 13th in the Giro d’Italia and was the highest-place Frenchman at the Tour de France, in 19th overall, but again no individual
victories.
While spending the winter in cyclo-cross competition might boost the rider’s confidence and earn him some easy victories, it may also be a recipe for another poor road season in 2011.
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