At the dawn of the Tour of Norway, in which he participates, Huub Artz reveals his journey and his ambitions. The native of Wintelre had a remarkable start to the season, with exceptional performance on multiple terrains. With a contract for next season, the young Dutchman approaches the rest with serenity and perspective.
The beginning of a realization
CT : What initially attracted you to cycling??
HA : It was my father's passion that made me love cycling. He was racing when he was a child and teenager and he introduced me to, as well as my brother Bart Artz, to a local cyclocross club. My father met my mother on a race because my mother's brothers (my uncles) were also running. I actually grew up in a family of cyclists. When we watched cyclocross, we had the opportunity to take part in a test on a bike rented by the club which we then joined. I quickly discovered that I had talent, because I could follow guys three years older than me during my first training sessions at the age of 12 years. After that, I was very excited to see how well I would do in national races against boys my age.
CT : Which category of runner do you think you belong to??
HA : I think I belong to the category of versatile runners. I don't have a specific specialty, but I'm pretty good at long and short efforts, which allows me to do well on almost all types of courses. I would like to improve my sprint to be formidable in hilly races where there is generally a small sprint in a peloton.
CT : What were the main events that led you to sign with the Wanty team? – ReUz – Technord?
HA : I think of my solo victory at the GP Color Code Bassenge. I felt very strong that day and I was still in control of the race. I was good enough to overcome the strong collective performance of the Wanty team, which must have impressed the sports director because shortly after, he showed interest in me. They immediately showed great promise of a very professional plan to develop me as a pro rider for them. At the end, it clearly worked very well.
CT : How did you react when you learned that you were becoming a professional with the Intermarché team? – Wanty?
HA : I was very excited and sometimes emotional because I finally achieved my life goal that I set as a child when I started cycling. Since seeing the pros live at races like the Tour de France while on vacation, I wanted to become like them one day. I'm incredibly proud of myself for achieving this and can't wait to start as a pro.
A successful spring
CT : During a breakaway during the queen stage of the Tour of Oman, you finished 3rd at the top of the difficult Green Mountain. Did you expect such a result when you escaped in the morning?
HA : We all knew that the last day of the Tour of Oman would be too difficult for most of us to achieve a good result. I thought so too, so I had no expectations for the last step. I did my best to escape as it would be the last chance to have a good day of training before going home. I felt really strong and I thought during the stage that I could reach the mountain without being caught by the peloton. Ensuite, my goal was to let go of the others so I could experience what it was like to ride in the lead on the final climb of a pro race. To my greatest surprise, my gap stayed around a minute for quite a long time and I was able to produce a lot of watts. A podium there was truly something I hadn't even dreamed of because it seemed so unrealistic. It was the most special race of my life.
CT : You won the Gent-Wevelgem Espoirs and finished 7th in the Paris-Roubaix Espoirs and the Liège-Bastogne-Liège Espoirs. What makes this ability for you to be present in several areas easier? ?
HA : Like I said before, I think my greatest strength is that I can do well in all types of terrain. I can produce good power but I also weigh about 70 kg, which allows me to survive certain climbs.
CT : What are your personal goals for this season and next as a professional cyclist??
HA : My personal goals for this season were to win a U23 classic, what I achieved, and win a stage of the Giro Next Gen and/or the Tour de l’Avenir. The World Championships are also a big goal for me. My goals as a professional are to complete a Grand Tour, preferably the Tour de France, and win a pro race. But I don't feel any rush to get there. I will try to improve as much as possible and we will see what comes out in terms of results.
New perspectives
CT : How do you deal with the pressure and expectations that come with your transition to the professional level??
HA : Right now, I don't feel any pressure at all. From my first race in Oman to my last race in Brittany, I had a good feeling in almost every race I did. This gives me a lot of confidence that I have the level to become pro. I'm excited to see how far I can progress and I have time at Intermarché to develop.
CT : How do you see yourself contributing to the Intermarché team? – Wanty and how do you hope to fit in ?
HA : I think I can be a good support during the classics season. I know how to position myself at the right times and I can ride well for the team. I also like to be involved as a leader or as a runner free to attack at the right time. I am very curious to see how I will do in a Grand Tour as I normally improve as the stage race progresses.
CT : What are you looking to improve as a cyclist??
HA : Things I want to improve include performing well in wet weather. Especially when combined with the cold and the climbs, I can have a bad day. This will be important to improve for stage races. Furthermore, I want to improve my sprinting ability to have a better chance of winning in a peloton sprint.
CT : Is there a professional cyclist that you admire or are particularly inspired by? ?
HA : Mathieu van der Poel is and has been a great source of inspiration for me. He is also versatile and exceptional in his work to achieve a big goal and be in great shape at that time.
CT : What is the most valuable advice you received as a young cyclist? ?
HA : The best advice I've received is to stay calm and keep an overview. I tended to focus too much on one aspect and stress over something that ended up going well. This advice helps me save my energy to spend on the right things and not waste it worrying..
CT : How do you maintain a balance between your life as a professional cyclist and other aspects of your life ?
HA : Since I signed pro, I have a much better balance between my cycling life and my personal life. I have become much better at handling pressure and accepting that sometimes there are bad days and seeing the bigger picture. It is important for me to keep a healthy mindset about my career because I don't want to become lonely after my career, so I invest the good times to socialize with my friends and family.
