Published on : 06/02/2026
To each their own reality. Last week, the para-cycling team racked up podium finishes and titles at the French Championships. The women’s team secured a string of podium places at the Bretagne Ladies Tour, whilst part of the men’s squad competed in the Boucles de la Mayenne, where Clément Izquierdo finished 5th overall. What do they have in common, beyond their identical jerseys? The desire to give it a go, to give it their all, to fight hard and to believe in themselves without letting up. And those fine-tuning their preparation at training camps are doing so with the same determination… Enjoy the read and have a great week!
At the heart of the training camp in the Sierra Nevada
Since 18 May and for the past three weeks, nine riders have been fine-tuning their form in the tranquillity of the Sierra Nevada, a mountain range in southern Spain. It’s a valuable training camp for physical and mental preparation, as well as for strengthening team spirit. Here’s why.
Last week, in the midst of the heatwave, heading up to the Sierra Nevada offered a welcome respite from the heat. In the tranquillity of this ski resort, the temperature drops and snow is visible at the summit. However, the sun is shining brightly over the clear roads, ideal for a series of training sessions. It is here that nine Cofidis riders have been based since 18 May and will remain until 5 June.
“This kind of training helps us improve”
The Cofidis squad is split into two groups. Ion Izagirre, Alex Aranburu, Sylvain Moniquet, Hugo Page and Stanislaw Aniolkovski are staying in apartments in the heart of the resort, whilst Milan Fretin, Piet Allegaert, Alex Kirsch and Jenthe Biermans are staying in a hotel closer to the valley. The two groups meet daily for training sessions, with specific work for climbers and sprinters. They all also have access to a gym with state-of-the-art equipment to fine-tune their fitness.
“All the riders here have completed the first part of the season and have had a break,” says Mattia Machulesi, performance manager. “Before the major races ahead of us – the Tour d’Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the Tour of Belgium and, of course, the Tour de France – it’s really beneficial to follow a specific training programme.” The Italian coach is adamant: “This type of training camp helps them improve.”
A team dedicated to supporting them every day
It takes more than two weeks at altitude for the benefits to become apparent.
“We’re seeing real physiological progress,”says Mattia. To maximise the benefits, the team has put in place a comprehensive support structure that allows them to focus entirely on performance. The team’s coaches supervise the training sessions, with two mechanics (Nicolas Daniel and Mickael Mainguenaud) on hand, as well as three assistants (Lucia Rojas Mejia, Raul Mattias and Frédéric Bourdon). In addition, the riders can consult daily with Soline Lamboley, the team’s full-time mental coach.
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Soline’s presence is important because we don’t just want them to be well-trained but ready for the upcoming events,”insists Mattia. “
The idea is to build team cohesion and unite around our shared goals.” Behind the smiles and good humour, the riders know they are all on a mission. And that the repetitive training and the efforts they put in will pay off as soon as they return to competition.
