Interview: JP Dawance (Voted: Best Overall Cyclist Shanghai!)

JP on the front!

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Shanghaivelo: How long you have been riding?

JP: I started when I was 13 years old, hence long time ago... However, there were in between several long periods off the bike like from 17 to 19 to resume football and then later for studies, for football again and then for some jobs abroad in “cycling incompatible” countries. No more long interruptions since I restarted in 1998 with two seasons in Belgium and then two seasons in France. A clear peak in 2003, thanks to my meeting with Mr. Doug Cousineau (my guru), as well as Gudo Kramer, the manager of the Marco Polo team (who helped fulfill my dream of riding a professional race)… and the SARS!

JP Spreads the love. . . .

Shanghaivelo: How you got into/started cycling?

JP: I started riding when my father who had been a good runner decided to resume with sport in his late thirties. I was 13 years old and playing football, pretty much the only sport activity at that time. Two years after, having reached the age of 15 years old, hence the minimum age for racing, I thrown a bomb at home when announcing I would be stopping football. How could I even consider this?... The second bomb came 30 seconds later when my parents found out the reason behind was to race. After several months of negotiation, the “no way” became a “yes with conditions”. I was finally on the start line. My weak results drove me quite naturally back to the football pitch where I could succeed. Football is the most beautiful game in the world. Cycling is the most epic sport.

Shanghaivelo: Some information about your team?

JP: TCR (TREK China Racing) is a very strong team with a fantastic team spirit. You saw only a fraction of it in the 2008 FHL series as most of the racers are from Beijing area. Despite this, we had a good share of victories and podiums. Todd is perfectly managing the blend of experienced and younger talented racers. Some of you could witness the near perfect race in Suzhou last autumn (only a stellar Chia was able to counter our plans) but what a pleasure to get handshakes and congratulating words from people we do not even know for the way we shaped and conducted the race. Recruitment for 2009 is ideal. We shall be in a better position to contest also the team general classification in 2009.

JP in third wheel even without TT bike and funny looking helmet!

Shanghaivelo: Your Bike(s)?

JP: A TREK Madone 6.9 Pro Trek-Marco Polo team 2008 that you will discover at the first FHL race of the season on March 28th. A rocket! Prepare your camera! ;-)

A TREK Madone SSL 6.9 Discovery Chanel-Marco Polo team 2007 that I used in Shanghai last year until July but which is now my racing bike in Belgium. Very stable and so keen to accelerate. A piece of art also.

My wife’s preference: the first one ever being tolerated in my living room for short stays!

A TREK aluminium 2500 1999 which is my first Trek and my first aluminum. I bought it as Trek did a special effort to give me a very attractive price when they hear it was a kind of “non budgeted emergency” as it came to replace my previous bike, stolen after a race. After 10 years of very loyal services, my elder son now uses it when he wants to go (fast!) to her girlfriend place without me knowing…

A Cannondale CAAD 7, my winter training bike.

And finally a heavy steel Scott mountain bike which I promise I did not steal from the museum; Once it was new!

Shanghaivelo: What you do for training?

JP: Nothing really special anymore… Since few years I privilege the fun of riding with the FHL group but trying to be consistent. Few weeks before my holidays in Belgium, I usually intensify and tailor a bit in the sense that races over there have nothing in common with the long stretch of the A30! But only group rides, even at fast pace, are not good enough if you wish to improve… I am going to change this and put a bit of discipline into this!

Shanghaivelo: Any season goals you have?

JP: With TCR for FHL races, this is clear: To win. Together as a team or individually, whatever, but to win. And as much as possible.

For my summer break, I would also love to have fun again in racing in Belgium meaning not having to let the race go on around me but being able to impact it a bit. Would be great to do some Flemish races with Herman again!

Shanghaivelo: Your favourite cyclist?

JP: When I was a kid I have to tell you that my family was in the Roger De Vlaeminck side when Belgium was split between the Merckx-ist and the De Vlaeminck-ist. My parents were quite neutral at early stage, admiring pretty evenly the exploits of both champions until Eddy Merckx was made kind of honorary chairman of the Racing White, a rival football club of our ever supported club. He disqualified instantly from getting any kind of consideration from us!

What a talent this Roger De Vlaeminck! During is first season as junior, he took part to 25 races, amongst them the Belgian Championship. He only finished second to one of them! He is one of the greatest cyclists in history, actually the most talented real classics rider of his generation, but he had to battle Eddy Merckx for supremacy throughout his entire career. He is one of the great professional cyclists also to have claimed the cyclo-cross world championships title. Such ability enabled him to win nearly all classics amongst them Paris-Roubaix four times, still a record, and to defeat Merckx several times in the process, including by the record winning margin in the race.

Once again I am able to find a photo with both great (Hinault on the front with Roger De Vlaeminck - this photo was taken at Paris Roubaix . . . such talent (me not them)

Today, I am happy to follow Philippe Gilbert.

Not only because he comes from my village and is born the same day (not same year!) as me but for his offensive riding style and his sense of attacking right!

Shanghaivelo: Your role model?

JP: Bernard Hinault. What a man!

Hinault in the Yellow Jersey

The last great champion who was able to win the first and the last classic of the season and the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France in between. As teenager, I was impressed by his no-bounds courage, his very strong personality and his way of talking direct. A real example for me at that time!

Shanghaivelo: What one pro tour race would you like to do and why?

JP: If only I could...Without hesitation, I say loud and clear the “De Ronde” (de Ronde van Vlaanderen = Tour of Flanders). And yes, I am from the French speaking part of Belgium, so what? This is simply the most beautiful race in the world, no discussion.

2009 Ronde. . . . a picture is worth a thousand words. . .

This race has everything. This is the most epic one! Just imagine to have your name on the starting list of the race having on its winning list names such as Buysse, Van Steenbergen, Schotte, Magni, Impanis, Bobet, Forestier, De Bruyne, Van Looy, Godefroot, De Vlaeminck, Leman, Merckx, Planckaert, Martens, Vanderaerden, Criquielion, Van Der Poel, Van Hooydonck, Museeuw, Bugno, Van Petegem, Tchmil…

If you win this one, you change your status from Mr. Nobody or even from Mr. Champion to the most prestigious “Lion of Flanders” title, which is ranked somewhere next to God!

Shanghaivelo: What motivates you to ride hard?

JP: Strange question…Is it possible to do differently? Joke aside, before I take my bike I like to decide what I am going to do, if this is either to recover or to seriously exercise. There is nothing in between but comfort and this does not make you progressing. Except when on holidays, my free time is rather limited so I do not have time for enjoyable but useless long rides at moderate speed. Now of course, there are multiple ways of riding hard, multiple ways to train one aspect of the race.

Shanghaivelo: What stuff do you do other than ride?

JP: Nothing. I mean no other sport anymore. However, you have to know that after most of the Sunday ride, while you are taking your shower, I have to play the World Cup Final of football against my younger son. He is nearly 8 years old, runs faster and faster and start to have pretty strong and accurate skills. Soon I shall not need to pretend anymore I am losing against him…

Shanghaivelo: Where you work and what you do?

JP: I am the Technical Director for Nestlé Waters in China. My office is located in Jinqiao. I have however to travel which is not helping to reach my fitness peak!
Shanghaivelo: What you like to eat before training?

JP: I am not too picky about that. What I found in the fridge will be my meal. I sometimes go for sweet or even a chocolate bar, telling to myself that anyway I am going to burn these extra calories out soon after.
Shanghaivelo: Your favourite training routine?

JP: A recovery ride with the team and friends the day after a victorious race. Chat ride with heavy sore legs. The yesterday race told, told and re-told. Pure happiness. You know, in Belgium, it is virtually impossible to train without meeting other bunches. Sometimes you can be accompanied with racers you/your team just beat 24hours ago. What a good feeling when they feel the necessity to repeat the race again –but 24h too late!- and you just decide to let them go…

Shanghaivelo: Your favourite place (anywhere on earth) to ride?

JP: To the same question two months ago, I would have replied the Vosges (hills and plains East of France) for the scenery and for the variety of good roads and of course my place in Belgium located at the edge of the low flat land and the Ardenne (the Bulge), the hilly part where Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Flèche Wallonne take place.

But now, I am definitively adding Melbourne where I had the chance to spend Christmas and New Year (with Damian and his family who entertained us like if we would be prince!). The Aussies are so incredibly welcoming and the cycling culture there is really impressive. To ride at Christmas time short sleeves along the bay and to stop for a real Italian coffee is really great! Ready to go back there Down Under anytime!

Victoria seems OK ;). Photo 2007.

Shanghaivelo: Your best book about cycling?

JP: The Rider, by Tim Krabbé. The entire book, only 150 pages is about a one-day French road race during which you can feel the thrill of his emotions and physical sensations of racing his bike! On the top of this, it actually encompasses the entire experience of what means to live the life as a bike racer.

Shanghaivelo: Your shoe size?

JP: 43.5

JP on the front again!