It is on the island of Majorca, in the Balearic archipelago, in Spain, that Warren Barguil launches his 2022 season. From this Wednesday and until Sunday, the runner from the country of Lorient aligns himself with the Challenge de Mallorca. The opportunity to take stock with one of the leaders of the Arkéa-Samsic training, with whom he is coming to the end of his contract in this year 2022.
His physical form: “I recovered well”
Here is Warren Barguil in full possession of his means after his heavy fall at the end of last September in training, ending his 2021 season hastily due to a fractured pelvis. “I recovered well. I was able to go on vacation. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise. I was able to do five weeks without total physical activity. It allowed my body to recover well. Then the preparation went well. I was able to ride with good weather throughout December. I went with my family to Gran Canaria at the beginning of January, before continuing in Calpe for a week with the team where we were able to work well.“
His state of mind: “I am very, very motivated!”
After a season he describes as “medium“last year, in particular”by missing the objectives at the Tour de France“, Warren Barguil displays a big desire. “I am very motivated. Very, very motivated! Afterwards, I know that I’m always winded at the start of the season. So I hope not to be too late at the start of the season, but my objectives are a bit later in the year.“
His unprecedented start to the season: “I had habits, and it’s sometimes good to change them”
With the Mallorca Challenge (January 26 to 30), the Murcia region tour (February 12), the Algarve tour (February 16 to 20), the Ardèche-Drôme loops (February 26 and 27 ), Strade Bianche (March 5), Tirreno-Adriatico (March 7 to 13) and Milan-Turin (March 16), the Morbihannais has completely changed its program start of the season this year. “It’s brand new to me, and I’m very excited to do it. I had habits, and sometimes it’s good to change them. The sporting directors suggested that to me, and that really motivated me. And then, I wanted to do the Strade Bianche. They fall on Saturday, and Paris-Nice on Sunday. It changed things. For the Tour de Provence (February 10-13), Nairo Quintana (his teammate) wanted to go. We had to share the roles. This Spanish and Portuguese program from the beginning pleases me very much. It’s good to change a routine that has set in and see other races. And not to think, once the career is over, that it would have been possible to change the start of the season at some point. I am lucky to be able to change this start to the season. Maybe I’m not going to like it and I’ll go back to my classic habits.“
His ambitions and those of his team for 2022: the Giro, his big goal
Arkéa-Samsic is aiming for the World Tour license in 2023.”It is _a very important season for the whole team_. We really want to be in the World Tour. You have to get results and score points. Everyone is very motivated, has worked well this winter and is ready for the start of the season.“The boss of his team, Emmanuel Hubert, invited him to “have more of a leadership positionin a recent interview. How did he take the remarks?We discussed it with Manu, the words are not necessarily those spoken. That said, I may not have asserted myself enough in certain races. We talked about it this winter to put things right and to make it clear for the team and for me. I can’t run after all the races. I have a too versatile profile sometimes, and it can serve me. So we set goals, now it’s up to me!“
It will be more focused on one-day races. On the big laps, it will be more to target the stages than the general classification
What goals then? “There will be the Tour de France. And the Vuelta or the Giro, the team must give a decision soon. For me, it will be more focused on one-day races. And, on the big laps, it will be more to target the stages than the general classification. I would like to be on the Giro to enter the closed circle of winners on the three big laps.“Because, after having raised his arms on the Grande Boucle and the Vuelta, the Giro is missing from its list. “That’s my big goal until the day I pick up my bib and retire. Until then, this will be the main objective until the end of my career.“
His future: “If I change, it’s because the team is not World Tour. For me, that’s really the big condition”
Warren Barguil is also thinking about his future, he who is coming to the end of his contract in this year 2022 at Arkéa-Samsic. “I would like let it be clarified early in the season. We have already started discussing it with Manu. For me, it’s very important to know where I’m going. I have never been out of contract. We will continue to talk about it in the coming days. Me, I feel good in the team. We have a very good group: staff, riders, management! Some runners don’t like their direction, but here everything is going well (laughs)! I feel good and I don’t see why I would change. If I change, it’s because the team is not World Tour. For me, that’s really the big condition. If I want to do the Giro, it’s important that we score points and be in the World Tour in 2023 if I want to stay on the team.“