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Magnus Backstedt, Liquigas

27 February 2006 (16 February interview)

Pavé, Tour and Track in Swede's Sight

 

Magnus Backstedt is embarking on 2006 with experience in-hand. The giant Swede is a complete rider, going all year but at a proper pace. Last fall he ended his season with an hour record attempt, over the winter he spent time honing his techniques and equipment, and now the spring brings a fresh start. Lying ahead of Backstedt is the pavé of Roubaix, stages of the Tour and more time on the track, only stopping for a quick caffè and time with his family. BiciRace.com was able to catch the Paris-Roubaix champion in Wales after coming off his first race of the season in Mallorca ...

Starting from Mallorca

BiciRace.com:  Magnus, thanks for joining BiciRace.com in an interview. Have you had a chance to look at our website?
Magnus Backstedt:  No, I have not had the time yet, but I will check it out soon.
BR:  You raced in Mallorca but had run-in with the tarmac. How is your hip and ankle?
MB:  It is getting better. I had some struggles during the week. By this Saturday [18 February] I will be back out training normally. Soon I will be doing the big seven to eight hour rides, doing those heading up to the next races.

The Cobble Cruncher at 2006 Liquigas Presentation

BR:  Last year you have rough start before Roubaix, only days before you crashed in the Gent-Wevelgem. Did riding Roubaix with your hand bandaged ruin your chances of a repeat victory?
MB:  It did not hold me back too much. When I hit the first big pothole it was very painful but after that I hardly felt it. Gent was on Wednesday, then Thursday and Friday I was on the turbo trainer, and Saturday I was back out on the road. It was not the ideal lead-up to Roubaix, but I can't say that made me lose the race.
BR:  And will Roubaix be the number one goal for this spring?
MB:  Yes, defiantly. It is the race I love the most.
BR:  You did not grow up in Belgium or Northern France but you have raced there a lot. How well do you know the pavé sections in these races?
MB:  Yeah, I have done the Roubaix six or seven times now. I know how the road goes. Before the big races I will go and do the cobbles to refresh my memory, I find that helps a lot.
BR:  Where does when does the racing really start in your opinion? What section?
MB:  The Arenberg Forest is the place where the front group will move off the peloton, so usually there. But last year was weird without the forest. It was just a strange year really. But that section to me is really where the race starts.
BR:  Many riders use special set-ups for the cobbles. What special components do you mount?
MB:  I don't actually change the bike that much at all. Just extra wrapping on the bars ... my wheels are standard, just slightly bigger tires. I don't like to change too much because then there are more unknowns, more that can break. Plus there is risk with a different set-up and slightly different frame angles that the riding position will not be right, so that would mess me up.

Working to Improve the Bianchi

BR:  Over the last two years you used the same Bianchi titanium frame, will you use that same Bianchi frame for this year's race?
MB:  Not the same frame this year but the geometry will be exactly the same, just different paint from the team.
BR:  Are you using that frame now?
MB:  I might use the all titanium frame next week with Het Volk and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne. But for the rest of the races I will be riding my aluminum frame.
BR:  How closely did you work with the engineers on the titanium frame? Did you just give them your measurements? [Laughs]
MB:  I try to give technical guys as much feedback on how the bike is reacting. That is just the way I work with all my problems, whether it is clothing bikes or wheels. I just don't like say 'this does not work' and to leave it alone, cause at the end of the day I have to race on it and I want everything as good and quick as possible.
BR:  And you were also here in Milano at the wind tunnel testing their new D2 Crono frame. Was that test more for the benefit of you or the development of their frame?
MB:  A bit of both. At the end of the day just putting the bike in the wind tunnel is good, it gives you an initial idea. But then you need to put a rider on it and get feedback. I really like doing that, and they asked me if I want to come and do the wind tunnel testing. So it was a time to also get my position perfect on the bike I would be racing and also help them.

A Yellow Tour

BR:  After the Paris-Roubaix you will then shift your focus to another stage win at the Tour?
MB:  Yes, that is the plan. I will have a lot of days off and it does not really suit my style to do that. I might actually race the 4K pursuit at the World Championships, which is the week after Roubaix. I am waiting for the UCI to see if I get the wildcard invitation. I will then have a bit of break for two weeks, start racing again and build-up for the Tour.
BR:  Is the Maillot Jaune with in your reach this year?
MB:  I would like to think so. I am doing a lot of work on my time trialing. I was feeling really good up until my crash last weak and I hope I can get that feeling back. I don't see why I could be able to do it. I will approach the Tour like other years, take my changes when they appear and make the most of it, and see what happens.

The Hour Record

BR:  What are you plans for the fall? Will you have another attempt at breaking the Derny hour record?
MB:  Yes, the Derny record attempt, it will be a little bit later, like the end of November. It might be after the first World Cup on the track this year. I will take a bit of rest, build-up for the first World Cup and in doing so I will be building for the hour record.
BR:  The last attempt brought out many fans, which is good, but it also led to a hard time communicating with your pacer?
MB:  It was not so much communication but it was more that the pressure got to my pacer. At the end of the day it is a world record attempt, it is a big thing and for a pacer it is the biggest thing you can do. He was frightened in the training and then on the night of the event he basically snapped my wings off in the first couple of minutes. And if you are going to get that freighted you just can't do that job. So during the season I will look for a more experience driver and get on the track once a week with that guy for 30 to 45 minutes.
BR:  And when will you try to better Sosenka's [Athlete's] hour record?
MB:  Well, it is quite a big step to go for the [Athlete's] hour record. I really want to do it, the thought is in my head. It has to do with Chris Boardman when he broke the Athlete's record, it was something unbelievable to watch and to do. I want to first get the derny record and then go from there.
BR:  Do you think you could do better that 50K?
MB:  Well, at the end of the day you really have to go more than 50K to beat the record. It is just a question of time as to who breaks the record of 50K first.
BR:  Would you like to see more of the big names attempt it?
MB:  Yes, it is a shame that Lance [Armstrong] did not do it, or someone like [Jan] Ullrich. It is different... an hour on the road does not seem that bad versus an hour on the track where it seems like eternity. ... And hopefully they all do it on the same [sea] level so it could be more standardized.

Il Caffè: Maximus Magnus

BR:  When you are not racing on the track or road, what do you do in your free time? How do you relax?
MB:  I spend as much time with my kids and wife. I am traveling and training so it is very important to spend as much time as possible with them when I can.
BR:  You have two children?
MB:  Yes, the oldest is four years-old, Elynor, and the second is young, 18 months, Zoe.
BR:  When in Italia do you have a favorite flavor of Gelato?
MB:  Not really, I don't really like ice cream. I am not a big fan [laughs]. Everyone else goes for ice cream and I go for coffee.
BR:  Do you prefer caffè straight, or with milk?
MB:  Definitely straight. My own brand is great without milk or sugar.
BR:  What type of roast is the Maximus Magnus? [A coffee roast produced by Backstedt]
MB:  It is a blend between Old Java and 'Mocha'. It is something I sat down and tested myself until I had the blend the right way. I wanted it to be good with any method you used to brew it: drip, espresso machine, stove-top. Anyway you can do coffee, I wanted to be perfect without milk or sugar. I took me about a week to test the coffee and I could not sleep for a long time after that! [Laughs]
BR:  How much were you drinking? [Laughs]
MB:  Oh, I don't know.
BR:  On a normal day how much do you drink?
MB:  On normal day I will have two in the morning and two in the afternoon. I will have two double espressos in the morning and then in the afternoon, after out training in the cold, I will have a bigger, weaker cup.
BR:  Where is your favorite place to have a caffè?
MB:  Definitely Italy!
BR:  There you go!
MB:  Yes, it doesn't really matter where you go in Italy you can have a good caffè.
BR:  Yes this is so true. Well, thanks for your time. We don't think Mallorca will be a setback at all. Good luck with Roubaix this year, we will be cheering you on!
MB:  Thanks to you, bye.