April 23/08 10:34 am - Interview with Alex Wrubleski post Flèche Wallonne

Posted by Editoress on 04/23/08
 

We just finished a telephone interview with Alex Wrubleski in the Canadian team car on her way back to the hotel after finishing an extremely strong fourth in La Fleche Wallonne World Cup today. Wrubleski and team mate Anne Samplonius were in the final selection of 34 riders which hit the bottom of the infamous Mur de Huy climb to the finish line. Wrubleski was actually sitting in third until the final 30 metres, when Marta Bastianelli (Italian National Team) and Judith Arndt (Team High Road) both passed her to take second and third. Marianne Vos (Team DSB Bank) was already in front and took the win. Anne Samplonius finished 25th.

CC: So congratulations, what a fantastic ride!

Alex Wrubleski: Thanks, it was a really good day.

CC: So tell us how the race developed leading up to that final climb.

AW: Well, most of the teams want it to come down to the climb, so the big teams like High Road were covering every single move. The only one that got away a bit was [Fabiana] Luperini (Italy); she got about a minute but Cervelo Lifeforce and High Road brought that back. Every team had their climber, so they all wanted to keep it together.

On the second to last climb, I guess, a major split happened in the peloton. Me and Anne both were in the front group, and after that it came down to a scramble to get to the front on the last climb.

CC: And how did it go on the Mur?

AW: Well, I had to almost squirm my way out of the group, to get up there. I was in third for a long time, then I was caught in the last 30 metres. It was really hard to watch ... I was so close.

CC: You've made a big step up this year from last; now you are regularly in the top-10. What has changed, what are you doing differently?

AW: Well, my form is really good right now, and I guess I figured out a lot of things over the winter.

CC: Like what?

AW: Well, recovery was a huge issue last year. I was constantly over training. Now I know better when to stop pushing myself in training.

CC: You also seem to be getting better at strategy and positioning in the races.

AW: Definitely. This trip has been incredible; I'm learning so much every single race. I still didn't position myself perfectly, but I keep getting better. Originally I didn't really want to do this project, but I'm really glad the CCA sent us. I'm getting more used to the Europeans, the way of racing. I know who to watch now, and it's getting easier to move around in the peloton.

CC: So what's next on the schedule?

AW: Well we have a race in Luxembourg on Saturday, and one in Belgium on Sunday, and that's it for the CCA project. Anne and I will go back to [trade team] Webcor then and stay here to do Bern (World Cup) and the Tour de l'Aude.

CC: This must take some pressure off about Olympic selections?

AW: Yes, I'm pretty confident that Canada will get three spots now [for the women's road race]. With this fourth at the World Cup it puts me in a good position for the selection, so I'm really confident that I will go [to Beijing]. I'm just relieved to have the pressure off.