Professional between 2008 and 2021, Dan Martin has won a stage on all three Grand Tours as well as Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour of Lombardy.

QUESTION: You have articulated part of your autobiography (In pursuit of the Panda, published by Hugo Sport) around the theme of fear. What for?

ANSWER: "Fear is a taboo in cycling. We are seen as gladiators and we are not allowed to show fear. And that's not good. That's what I wanted to tell in my book, especially for young people who are just starting out cycling. Everyone can be afraid, even champions. And that's ok."

Q: Were you scared on a bike?

A: "Of course. I remember in particular a stage on the Giro in 2021 where it was running at 70 km/h in a descent on the gravel. Guys were falling everywhere. That day, I lost a lot of time because I was scared. I said it after the stage and everyone came across me on social media. Even the commentator on TV said that in this case it was better to stop."

Q: So runners are afraid to be afraid?

A: "Yes, especially to say it. In cycling, you must not show weakness. Compared to the opponents, to the public that may laugh at you. To the teams too. If you start saying it's a bit dangerous, they'll say, 'He's scared, we're not going to sign him.' It's like in the late 1990s when riders kept quiet about doping so as not to be kicked out. Today, it is the fear they hide."

Q: What is the cyclist afraid of?

A: "To fall, to suffer, to not be up to the task before a mountain stage... for many reasons. Even the fear of winning. When Pogacar attacked in Cambasque (during the 6th stage of the Tour 2023) he could easily lose the race. But he was not afraid and he won the stage. In the same situation, many would have been scared. Winning involves a lot of things. We find ourselves in the light. And not everyone wants to be a champion."

Q: There is also the fear of not doing like others?

A: "Cycling is a conservative environment, with well-established habits. Take the massage. At one point I discovered that it hurt me more than good. But wanting to quit was not easy. I took the risk if the next day I did not walk that the team said: 'ah bah normal he did not want to be massaged'. You have to have a lot of self-confidence to do things differently."

Q: Is falling still the biggest fear?

A: "Yes and it's really hard to regain confidence after a big fall. But at the same time it is also necessary to fall. In racing, with the adrenaline and the obligation to get back on the bike right away to leave, 90% of falls do not hurt. And if you never fall, you may think that the slightest fall is going to be dramatic. After that, don't fall too much either. You become almost fatalistic and you don't stop. I worked with a psychologist to get out of this spiral."

Q: When Gino Mäder kills himself on a hill descent, the peloton is afraid?

A: "So far, we've seen fewer crashes in this Tour, maybe that's a consequence. At the start of every race, we know it can happen. We take risks every day."

Q: More than before?

A: "I see a peloton that is taking more and more risks to be in front. The pressure of the result is much stronger than before. When I turned pro, there was zero pressure the first year. We were there to learn the job. Today, young people need to make results right away. In addition, the level has leveled and to make a difference, you have to take even more risks. And, yes, it's scary."

INTERVIEW by Jacques KLOPP

© 2023 AFP