A conversation with Magnus Bäckstedt - Part II

By Andrew Hood

Liquigas’s Magnus Bäckstedt charged into the public eye last year when he won the most revered of all the spring classics, Paris-Roubaix, the Hell of the North. In preparing an in-depth feature for thecurrent issue of VeloNews European correspondent Andrew Hoodsat down with Bäckstedt earlier this year at Liquigas’s team camp.In this, the second part of a two-part interview (clickhere to see Part 1), Bäckstedt recalls the experience of winningwhat has become the most prestigious single-day bicycle race in the world.

VeloNews: Were you tapped to be the guy for the cobbles? Magnus Bäckstedt: I was supposed to be the outsider role, what a day it turned out to be. I was the strongest rider of us. I always thought of those two guys (teammates Andrea Tafi and Fabio Baldato) as great bike riders, Tafi was one of my heroes early in my career. But what they did that day, that they said they’d help me, for them to say that, was amazing. It changed my views of them, they’re not only great bike riders, but they’re great people.

VN: Winning Paris-Roubaix would seem to change anyone’s life. How has it affected yours?MB: It has changed my life in certain ways. I’ve attracted more attention from the media, but I hope it won’t change me as the kind of person I am. I will always remember that day like it was yesterday. That stone is the most valuable thing I have. It’s actually on my light stand at the bed-side table. Just something to remind myself that every night I go to bed, I see that stone. That the first thing I see in the morning is that stone. When you wake up in the morning and it’s cold and raining out and maybe you don’t want to go for a training ride. It makes me realize that the hard work pays off. That’s what it stands for me. All the hard work I put in the last 3-4 years, even when I was having some hard times at Crédit Agricole, if you keep working, sooner or later, it’s got to pay off. It’s just a question of time.

VN: It’s a race you love?MB: I live for it. I’ve always said, if I can only do one race every year, it’s that one. If I could only win one race in my whole career, it would be that one. It was a childhood dream just to ride the race. Once I had a crack at it, I’ve got to win this race one time before I hang up my bike.

VN: Going into last year’s race, did you feel like you had the win in your legs?MB: There was something in the air last year when I started the race. I’d been waiting three years for that. Before I left the bus, my soigneur said, ‘It’s one hour to your race.’ Things went absolutely perfect. I got a big boost at Gent-Wevelgem a few days before. I was, hang on, my legs are here. Boonen won, I was second, Kirsupuu third. Then it was up to me … and luck, and punctures as well.

VN: What was the team’s strategy?MB: We came to the start with six riders – Tafi, Baldato and I each had one rider to protect us. Once we got the through the first couple of sections. I was next to Tafi most of the day, up until he crashed. He just kept on talking to me, stay calm, stay calm, no stress. Once we got through Arenberg, it was only me in the front group. Baldato came back and he did an absolutely incredible job for me for the rest of the day. I told him I was feeling good, then he said, ‘Don’t do anything until one of the big names go, then you go. Otherwise, I’ll take care of it.’ Without him there, I don’t think I would have been able to make it. I would have had to move around a lot more to cover moves. He rode unbelievable.

VN: When it got down to when Hincapie, Hoste and Boonen went, did you think that move might stick?MB: I was still marking Museeuw, Van Petegem and Wesemann. They weren’t going to let that group go, because they had to be there at the end, because Museeuw wanted to win again. Van Petegem was going strong and he wanted the double, Wesemann was flying from the weekend before. Those three guys that I was staying with. If they did a move, I moved. It worked out to be the right tactic.

VN: Talk us through the last decisive moves?MB: The whole day I was trying to sit fourth, fifth wheel through every cobble section to save myself that bit of chaos of trying to come through behind. I was staying on the wheel, looked around coming around the first bit of the Carrefour. I came out of that one and had a look around and there were five, six, of us. I remember Cancellara came out and did a big pull and there were only five of us left. Then it hit, hang on, this is my big chance. Museeuw was still there and I was fearing him quite a bit, but at the same time I’m quick in a sprint. I do a lot of riding on the track. Unfortunately for Johan, he punctured and there were only four of us left. From there I was thinking, do I want to try it for a sprint or do I want to attack early. I tried to assess the situation a bit, rather than putting everything on one card and risk everything, I’ll play the sprint. I’ve done research of the video from the past 10 races, see how the finishes are on the track, how they move. Trying to see what they’ve been doing.

VN: At the end, no one really had enough in tank to go for attack?MB: The only one was expecting to have a go was Cancellara, but he didn’t try.

VN: What were hearing about behind you guys?MB: We didn’t hear much. We only got one or two time checks in the final 5km. They were holding at about 25 seconds. It wasn’t a lot to be sort of playing with. If you did an attack, you’d mess up the rhythm and they might catch us. The safest bet was to play the sprint.

VN: At that moment, the last stretch into the velodrome, what’s in your mind?MB: It went quite fast, I was more concentrated on where I had Cancellara and Hammond lining up for the sprint. Cancellara was on the front the whole way, with Hammond on the wheel, with me then Hoffman. I went for it on the back straight for a fairly long sprint, but Hammond closed it down. I was basically boxed in until 150 meters from the finish line. I didn’t panic. Because on the track, if the guys coming in from the back, the guy on the front has to move up. He has to. So the other guys have to go the other way around. I was basically just sitting there waiting for the move. When it went a little on the front, I was gone on the inside. There’s always a lot of gravel on the inside. It’s a 500m track, it’s a big track. To do that move on a shorter track, it’s impossible.

VN: What was going through your mind at that moment?MB: The first reaction I had when I got through, was what happened? I put my hands up in the air, the first thought I had was, was there anyone in front of us? Was anyone gone? No, there hasn’t. It was amazing.

VN: Then the reality becomes a dream?MB: I didn’t know to laugh or cry. It’s been just one big dream. After all the work I put into it. Then to have one my childhood heroes come up and congratulate me that day – the first time I watched Paris-Roubaix, it was Lasalle the first time he won it. He’s been my absolute hero on the cobblestone.

VN: You’re the first in your country. What has been the reaction?MB: In the traditional cycling countries, it’s been big. But in Scandinavia, they really don’t care. This win it’s been a fair bit, not compared to if I won a World Cup ski race, I would be more recognized than I was here. The Italians know what it means, the French, the Belgians.

VN: Last year you went straight into the Giro and Tour right after Roubaix, that seems a little ambitious?MB: I went to the Giro, but it was a very hectic period with media that I’m not used to doing in that amount. It was difficult to get comfortable with all the pressure. Suddenly, I was on the TV all the time. Suddenly, everyone wanted my opinion on all sorts of things that I had never been asked before. I learned to adapt fairly quickly. After the Giro, I started having problems with my back. I thought I would be able to race at the Tour, but after 10 days my back shut down, that was it, I wasn’t able to race again. After that I was trying to get my back sorted. The back is fine now.

VN: Some people see your win as a one-off, that you somehow got lucky against the bad luck of Museeuw, how do you react to that?MB: They can think whatever they want to. That’s their opinion. It can’t be a one-off, because I’ve won a big race before. I’ve been to hell and back, I’ve got back up and won again. I won jerseys in the Giro, stages in the Tour, it’s not a one-off thing. Hopefully I can pull off another one this year. If not this year, I’ll keep working harder and it will happen next year.

VN: You must be looking forward going back as returning champ?MB: It’s going to be very special moment. I know the team will be there to help me deal with the pressure. At the end of the day, the pressure everyone puts on me is nothing compared to what I put on myself. Every Roubaix is different, so you have to look at with a new perspective. You have to go with fresh eyes and be ready for it. Hopefully play my cards a little differently. Maybe a little tactically different. We have to wait to see how the race works.

VN: What are your thoughts about the Arenberg section being removed?MB: To me, Arenberg is a milestone in Roubaix. I agree it’s dangerous, but don’t want to line up at Roubaix that it’s a safe race. Roubaix with Arenberg or not, is a very dangerous race. If you can’t handle the heat, stay out of the kitchen. That’s what makes that race so amazing. You can ride 200 other races that look more or less the same. Roubaix is unique.

VN: Will you ride a special bike?MB: There will be a special frame, a titanium frame, with heavier wheels and normal Roubaix tires. The simpler you go, the better it is.