Page 15 - Team TTO PARIS 2024
P. 15

SW: What have you done differently in the preparation
             for Paris 2024?
             NP: As I said, the sport has come a long way, with a lot
             of new equipment but at the same time you have to
             work with what works with you, in cycling. I got a lot of
             new equipment to try out, but I’ve opted to stay with the                                             Photo by Innis Francis
              LOOK T20 bike from three years ago which is the best
                suited bike for me at this time. I think it’s the most
                   aerodynamic bike for me with my (riding)
                     position. Physically, training has been adapted         I know that the support is there,
                       to get me stronger and I’ve been watching a   and that people are expecting a lot,
                       lot more races to get me ready mentally to
                       adapt to race situations much faster.      but I just go forward knowing that
                                                               I’ve trained well, and I just have
                       SW: Your style of sprinting uses a lot more of          to go out and execute. Its not
                        the track than the other sprinters, have you               really pressure for me.
                       tried to adapt to more straight-line sprinting
                      especially since the rules around sprinting
                     have become so strict?                     SW: Have you ridden on the Paris Olympic velodrome yet?
                 NP: I wouldn’t say I’ve adapted my style to any
                other type of sprinting because on any day you can   NP: Yes, I have. It’s a nice track but it’s different to other
               get any one with any type of sprinting, to race against.   tracks because it’s a meter wider, so it will be a very fast
              But I have been training to adapt to whoever I have to   track once you are able to use the extra width to your
             race so if I have to do straight line speed, or go up and   advantage. I really like the track, so we will just see on the
             down on the track, I’ll do whatever it takes by being   day!
             ready for it.
                                                                SW: The Keirin offers the chance of further success. Have
             SW: Your rivals have adapted to narrower bars and   you given it equal attention as the Sprint in your preparation?
                     newer shaped frames, as the benefits of use   NP: Yes. My focus is not only the Sprint. The main focus
                        aerodynamics become clearer, yet you still  are medals at the Olympic Games. I love sprinting so it’s
                           standard-sized bars. Is this personal   not either Sprint or Keirin, I’m 100 per cent focused on both
                           preference for better control or any   events. I want to be able to put my best foot forward in each
                            other reason? Have you done wind    of them.
                             tunnel testing?                    SW: You constantly speak about the pleasure and
                             NP: Yes, it’s a personal preference   importance of ‘reppin’ T&T. How do you cope with the
                             because I think it gives me better   weight of expectation from T&T?
                             control. I tried the smaller bars, but I
                             didn’t really like them and it took   NP: I know that the support is there, and that people are
                             away from my performance. So I had   expecting a lot, but I just go forward knowing that I’ve
                            to go back to what is better for me,   trained well, and I just have to go out and execute. Its not
                            which are the wider bars. I haven’t   really pressure for me, I just take it as a driving force, that
                           done any wind tunnel testing but I have   it’s racing first and then everything else comes after.
                          done lots of testing on the track with
                         different equipment, suits, to see what   SW: SW: Speaking of expectation, how do you relax in the
                        works best.                             Games Village or between races at the Velodrome?
                                                                NP: : I relax by talking with family and friends, my family are
                      SW: There are other medal favourites such as   a big part of me so anytime I need to switch off, I will call my
                     Harry Lavreysen (Netherlands), Kaiya Ota   father and mother, my sisters and cousins. Just chat and
                   (Japan),  Matthew Richardson (Australia) and   relax. Family is my most comfortable place. At the track I
                  your training partner, Suriname’s Jair Tjon En Fa.   listen to music, a lot of different genres, there’s a lot of
                Do you undertake special preparation to race against   fast-paced gospel music that I like.
              each of these rivals, to exploit any possible weakness?
             NP: I don’t think that you can train for any specific   SW: At 25, you are still young, is Los Angeles 2028 part of
             person, but you can train yourself to be ready. I watch   the long-term plan?
             videos to see the type of racing that they do, to know   NP: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely. LA28 is one of my goals
             what could come at me, so that I am ready at any given   after Paris. It’s four years away but at the same time it’s
             point in the race. I think I am really ready physically and   close (laughs).
             mentally. It’s not that far way but we still have time before
             the Games to continue the hard work with that type of   SW: Thank you, Nicholas.
             preparation.                                       NP: You’re welcome, Sheldon.



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