“I was not able to show my best level”: Victor Koretzky looks back on his two years in road cycling

Victor Koretzky a passé deux années sur vélo de route, en plus du VTT. EPA – Mohammed Badra

The results of the two years on the road are contrasting for Victor Koretzky. Seven months before the Olympic deadline in mountain biking, the Lodévois recounts his experience in the peloton.

Mononucleosis has hampered your adventure with Bora. What assessment do you draw ?

It still went well. The season looked pretty good despite everything. Even if the objectives were a little put on hold due to illness. The other objective was to concentrate on the end of the mountain bike season and put aside the road a little, as was planned. I had to put all the chances on my side to qualify for the Games.

The second part of the season caught up with the first ?

I gradually built up pressure after June, I arrived at the World Cup in good form (4th) and I had a really good end to the season in mountain biking. Even on the road, I ran the Vuelta in Burgos after the World Cup and I wasn't too bad.

It’s true that mountain biking in the second part of the season was the most important for me and that’s where I had placed all my goals for the end of the season .

How do you analyze your two years on the road ?

It was super rewarding, especially with Bora who is a World Tour team with a lot of experience. A foreign structure is always interesting to see how it works. What's hard for a mountain biker and for me is having two different teams (Bora on the road, Specialized on the mountain bike). It's complicated to juggle between the two , to make concessions. The best way to operate is to have a team that does both, like I had with B&B Hôtels.

"We'll see later"

Over these two years, several glitches have prevented you from showing your potential. Is it frustrating ?

Yes, a little. I wasn't able to show my best level. With B&B, it’s complicated in an old-fashioned way. I couldn't show myself too much. Bora trusted me but I was sick at the time when I should have been running the most. We'll see later.