Raphaël Montoya (Sartrouville) has made an exciting start for this season with a 4th place at the 1st world cup of the season in Cape Town, South Africa. Trilogies spoke with him to learn more about his race.
The inter-season… My winter preparation went really well! I focused on swimming and bike, I saw huge progress as of this first race, and it’s good to see! And yes, I knew I could play first roles on this race, because I did a very good training camp with the French team in Fuerteventura (15 to 29th of January) with excellent sensations in the three sports. So I could have tackled the race calmly.
Did you imagine race scenarios before the race? Not really, it’s not in my habits to do the race before it really happens. I was up to any scenario, I hoped I could be in a good day and confirm my first training circles.
Talk to us about our swimming part, strategy, placement, and how it went… Since we had only one number of difference, I could have placed next to Anthony (Pujades) which was a good thing. I took advantage of his wave during a hundred meters and then, in his feet the longer I could.
I reached the buoy in the first pack. So I avoided the “fight” and kept my good position until the end.
And you get out of the water a few seconds after Anthony Pujades, how did you feel for the T1? Once I was in the T1, I knew I had a good swim. I was la to be able to make my swim progress efficient from the pool to a triathlon. I swam 16’42 for 1500m in 50m pool (competition in Nice) a few days before the start in South Africa. I had no complex on the start pontoon. I was part of the best swimmers.
If you were momentary in the lead pack with 6 other athletes as for example, Schoeman and Murray. This didn’t seem to work, and you were caught back by the two chase groups. Why? We struggled to collaborate, relays weren’t fluid and nobody dared to push on pedals knowing that boys weren’t looking at each other. Logically we gathered.
And the beginning of the running part? When I got out of the T2, I was serene because it was always good news for me to put the bike with the lead of the race. Last year, this scenario happened only once and I won.
And then, the south Africans go… Knowing the running level of Richard Murray, I knew he was better. I was impressed by Schoeman running level. And Sullwad can run very fast too. I couldn’t follow this fastness.
You ended up in a large group, where you could easily imagine yourself 4th or 10th… I knew many guys started to fast. Thanks to a good 2nd lap, I could get detached from the group. I’m glad of this 4th place, I fully filled the contract. I didn’t think I could have such good sensations on the 11th of February…
And what’s next… European Cup of Quarteira (1st of April)