Professional cycling is a fascinating world where dedicated athletes push their limits to achieve exceptional performances. John Wakefield, renowned performance coach, shares his journey and experience in the field with us. Old 45 years, the South African has anchored himself in the World Tour sphere since 5 years old and is already on his second experience with the training of Ralph Denk.
The challenges of a performance coach
Cycling Times : How did you get into professional cycling? ?
John Wakefield : I don't really know ! I just did my job at the beginning and, from there, I evolved naturally into what I am today. I have never sought to work within a team or a world tour team, I liked the direct contact with the athletes. But things change, opportunities present themselves and here I am.
CT : What characteristics do you look for in runners during the recruiting process ?
JW : There are several : race results, power data, the attitude and way the athlete behaves, as well as the progress.
CT : How the rapid evolution of technology and the increasing availability of data, such as those provided by platforms like Strava, do they influence your work as a performance coach ?
JW : They influence it a lot and can have both positive and negative effects.. When you have too much data, you get lost and can find yourself overwhelmed. I try to tell people to take a data set that they find useful for themselves as a coach or performance specialist and use it wisely.. You shouldn't have too much that you don't know what you're looking at and what you're looking for.
CT : What are the main challenges you face as a performance coach ?
JW : Understand the athlete you are working with and ensure you are able to adapt this information to get the best out of them.
CT : How do you work with other team members, such as coaches, doctors and nutritionists, to ensure the overall success of the team ?
JW : Each department has its role to play to guarantee the best possible result for the athlete. Each service will provide relevant data and information, then everyone will work together to obtain the best result.
A first experience in the World Tour
CT : You have worked within the United Arab Emirates team [ndlr : of 2018 at 2022] as performance coordinator, performance coach and assistant sports director. How was your experience within this team? ?
JW : It was great, I have many positive memories of my time with the team and I am eternally grateful. From my arrival on the team until my departure, the work the entire team has put in to improve the team to where it is today has been incredible.
CT : During your journey within UAE Team Emirates, you met Tadej Pogacar, who is undoubtedly the most dominant rider of his generation. According to you, what are the physiological abilities that make it so special ?
JW : In addition to being a very nice human being, I would say his ability to recover as quickly and as well as he does, while remaining incredibly calm under pressure. He is also capable of crushing pedals, which is not negligible !
CT : Matthew Beers [ndlr : South African athlete] joined the UAE Team as an intern 2019, without any road experience. He must have incredible numbers in endurance mountain biking, is not it ?
JW: Yes, Matt puts up more numbers than many World Tour riders. But he loves mountain biking and gravel.
A new challenge with a team from the old continent
CT : In 2023, you have decided to join BORA-Hansgrohe. Why this decision ?
JW : The decision was difficult to make, but what Bora presented to me in terms of situation, orientation and research appealed to me. It was new, it was fresh, it was something I wanted to develop – learn a new skill and improve myself, basically – and try something new.
CT : Can you tell us about your role as performance coach at BORA-Hansgrohe and your main responsibilities within the team? ? What is your job? ?
JW : I train runners above all and I have taken on the responsibilities of sports director, as second Sports Director, and I am currently at the Tour de Suisse for the time trial stages. He has stated several times during the ordeal that he is “rising under pressure” and that he is “on the right track to find his best level”., I do everything that is asked of me and everything that is necessary. I love what I do, so if that means helping the team in any way, I will.
CT : What are the long-term goals of the BORA-Hansgrohe team in terms of performance and results? ?
JW : Win more races and improve performance in the general rankings !
CT : You have Cian Uijtdebroeks under your wing, the last winner of the Tour de l’Avenir. How do you judge his progress? ? Do you have a strategy to compensate for its shortcomings on descents? ?
JW : He is incredibly professional and it allows me to do my job better. We have implemented measures for this purpose and have made improvements, which is promising.
CT : You are also Nico Denz’s personal trainer, who took two impressive stage victories in this Giro d’Italia. We can say that he is in the best shape of his career so far. Do you think he was going to do something big during this Giro? ?
JW : The main objective of the first part of the season was the Giro, so to say that he had to go there in very good shape is correct, I don't want to say this is the best form of his career because that would be disrespectful to his former coach and he has won previously, but I can say that he was in incredible condition and that it showed in the race.
CT : Brent Copeland [ndlr : team manager Jayco AlUlla] a Douglas Ryder [ndlr : team manager Q36.5] are leading professional teams in higher divisions. What this means for South African cycling ?
JW : This may be a controversial answer, but I don't think this will advance South African cycling. It's great to see South Africans participating in the World Tour, because there are very few of them and it is incredibly difficult to get into them, so those in the system are naturally good at what they do. I don't think this is a path or anything else for South Africans.
CT : You also support other athletes, especially women like Brodie Chapman. Is there a different approach to performance in women's cycling ?
JW : With Brodie, everything is different ! Haha. It must be taken into account that female athletes are not men and vice versa, and adapt these variables, but overall, there is no major change in the way we approach training and performance.
We warmly thank John Wakefield for his contribution to this interview. The best is wished to him by our entire community.
