KÉVIN RÉZA
B&B HOTELS P/B KTM
My first Étoile de Bessèges was already 10 years ago. Believe me, it was something else this year. I have never known such a level at this race, which in the past was mainly preparation for the first big objectives of the season. For my first race of the year, I took a huge hit of stress, a feeling which contributes to the fact I think I take less pleasure in racing now than in the first part of my career.
With all the covid-cancelled races, a number of big teams took part in the Étoile, and the level was pretty much that of a WorldTour race. Between the riders who wanted to test their condition, those who wanted mainly to avoid crashing, and those who have nothing to lose (they exist), it all added up to a few strange things. The tension reminded me of the first few stages of a Tour de France, with riders throwing themselves to the front like madmen at every strategic point. The nervousness doesn’t fit with early season races. These days, in every race where the wind blows, you take to the start knowing that it’s going to be catastrophic. It looks fun on television, but in the peloton, it’s hell, and it guarantees crashes.
I was prepared to face this level of competition this early in the year, and I think everybody wants to race after such a particular 2020. I wasn’t surprised at the level, and I won’t be surprised when it crescendos. The further we get into the season, the faster the races are going to get. Every year, the level goes up. New teams are created, new riders emerge, the hunt for UCI points - these all contribute.
It’s the same with physical preparation and scientific research, which contribute to a growing difference between the big and the small teams.
For the last five or six years, cycling has not been for pure pleasure. For me these days it’s more a job than the sport that I learned to love during my first days at cycling school. Before, I used to joke a lot in the peloton during races. Not any more. It’s risky to relax because you have to stay focused to avoid crashes or splits in the bunch. I accept all that, even if it hurts that I can no longer say that cycling is fun. I’m a pro, I know how to balance things out and I can show that I’m serious by distancing myself from the things that bother me. As soon as the race is over, I unplug and think about other things. It’s a privilege that comes with age, no doubt.
I’m not unhappy to know that the end of my career is closer than the beginning.
I still have no precise date to finish, and what’s most important right now is doing my job as well as possible, with a team in which I feel good. I’ve been through several distinct periods in my career, and I’ve had to show resilience at certain times. Leaving my family home in Paris to go to the Vendée at 15, turning pro with Europcar, my years with FDJ and now my adventures in bluegreen Glaz with B&B
Hotels p/ b KTM. (We are known as the ‘Men in Glaz’)
All these phases have brought different emotions and experiences. I’m proud of the path I have taken through cycling and it’s still not finished. My body and my head will let me know when it’s time to stop. While I wait for that, I feel at ease with myself, in a team that fits me and which has confidence in me.
The season is up and running, the Tour de France is in our sights and, like every year, I know how to get myself into form for the big goals. Whether it’s training or racing, with or without stress, bring it on!