Published on : 08/18/2026
At lunchtime, the Cofidis team takes a moment to chat with the people who make up the team. With “A l’abri du vent”, we put the race to one side for a few minutes to listen and take our time. Today, let’s meet Christophe Hajaer.
Can you tell us about your career path before joining Cofidis?
Before joining Cofidis in 2003, I was first a first-category cyclist with the Vélo Club de Roubaix. I ended my competitive career around 1996, and then I took a break from cycling for almost a year.
It was through some chance encounters that everything got going again. I was offered the chance to join the professional ranks, but this time in a different role. So I trained as a massage therapist for a year before joining an amateur team, and then a professional team.
I worked at Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne, then spent two years at BigMat, one year at FDJ, before joining Cofidis in 2003.
There was indeed a hiatus mainly due to travel fatigue and the arrival of my children but my desire to return to the pros was stronger. It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up, and I have absolutely no regrets.
Did you ever imagine you'd end up in this line of work?
I’ve always been immersed in cycling. I grew up in the North, where I rode with former pros like Laurent Pillon, Franck Vandenbroucke, and Cédric Vasseur.
My friends were also part of the cycling scene. Cycling has always been a part of my life. When the opportunity arose, I naturally jumped at it. Professional cycling is a fabulous world.
You rub shoulders with riders sometimes future champions you build a network, you mentor young riders… and in a way, it helps you stay young in this environment.
What exactly is your role within the team?
I’m a massage therapist and sports assistant.
My work begins well before the race: organising all the logistics, particularly for the Grand Tours such as the Tour de France, the Giro or the Vuelta. At the hotel, my colleagues and I get everything ready to welcome the riders.
A typical day starts very early: preparing the water bottles and refreshments, then being on hand during the race to hand out water bottles and feed bags.
After the race, I return to the hotel and look after the riders for their massages. I usually massage two or three riders each evening, and during the Grand Tours, it’s even more intense.
My days can run from 6 am to 10 pm, sometimes with an hour’s drive back to the hotel. They’re long days, but fascinating ones.
What sort of relationship do you have with the runners?
Massage creates a very special bond. We spend about an hour a day with each rider, which allows us to build genuine relationships.
I work a lot on the Northern Classics and the Flandriennes, so I often have the same core group of riders: Alexis Renard, Damien Touzé, Milan Fretin, amongst others.
When riders come back to you regularly, it means the relationship is working. That rapport is essential.
You have to listen, chat about things other than cycling, and offer reassurance when things aren’t going well – whether it’s tiredness, a crash or a lack of confidence… The human aspect is paramount.
How do you support them during their recovery?
Mainly through massage.
We also use recovery equipment, and we work in collaboration with the osteopath, who is very often present at races.
If a runner is too tired, it is sometimes necessary to stop them rather than carry on at all costs. Recovery is an integral part of performance.
Has there been a defining moment in your career?
Yes, quite clearly: our two victories in the Tour de France three years ago, after a fifteen-year winless spell.
The Tour is the ultimate event. Winning there is something that leaves a lasting mark on your life.
There were also some great moments in the Belgian classics, particularly with Sylvain Chavanel. We’d formed a real team and experienced so much together: training camps, races, travelling.
We spent nearly a hundred days together over the course of a season. Those are very vivid memories.
What is it that the public might not necessarily know about your job?
The general public mainly sees the outside.
The inside is much more human. A massage is a special moment when we chat, sometimes have a laugh, but when we’re also very serious.
It’s a relationship built on trust, almost intimate. It all comes down to attitude, listening and respect.
These days, cycling has changed a great deal: buses, safety measures, riders are better protected… They’re less accessible than they used to be. When I started out, everything was simpler and more friendly.
Have you always been passionate about cycling?
Yes. I started cycling when I was 13 or 14, and I’ve never looked back.
I didn’t necessarily imagine I’d end up working with the pros one day, but I’m a passionate and determined person. I was lucky enough to meet the right people at the right time.
How do you manage your work-life balance?
It’s not easy. I have two children, who are quite grown-up now. I’ve often been away, and that has sometimes taken its toll on my personal life.
But these days, I try to make up for lost time when I’m at home. My son cycles too. I’m really proud to be passing this passion on to him.
Sharing cycling with him, showing him what goes on behind the scenes, is a really special experience.
Passing things on is essential.