COF’ MOMENT Understanding Cofidis’ victories from a mental perspective

Soline Lamboley: “Collective confidence among the riders and staff”

**Recruited this season, Soline Lamboley is the only full-time mental performance coach working for a French team. For several months now, she has been in regular contact with the Cofidis riders. Present at the Tour de France, she looks in detail at the importance of the mental side of the sport in the team’s current positive momentum.**

Did you anticipate this golden week at the end of August?

I think what we should take away above all is the potential of this team and the momentum they are currently enjoying. The recent results are proof of that: they have already shown that they are capable of stringing wins together, and I am convinced they can achieve some very good things yet. There are sometimes races where everything doesn’t go according to plan. A small detail or a racing incident can make all the difference. But what matters is that the team keeps moving forward, improving and, above all, believing in its abilities. And that is probably what excites me most: the state of mind within all three teams – men’s, women’s and para-cycling. There is real ambition, a genuine desire to fight for victory, but also plenty of confidence and enjoyment. You can feel that energy growing race after race, and that is extremely positive for what lies ahead.

What allows you to sense that?

It is reflected first and foremost in the results, of course, but also and above all in the way they race. We are seeing both the women and the men take more initiative, with greater freedom and confidence. And that confidence is collective: you can feel it among the riders, but also among the staff. For me, this momentum didn’t appear overnight; it has been built gradually. That is what makes me particularly confident about the future: when a group believes in its abilities and enjoys going out there and fighting for victory, it inevitably creates positive momentum. We often say it, and I think it is particularly true in sport: winning breeds winning.

“The mental break is essential”

So this isn’t a one-off phenomenon; it’s something much more gradual?

Yes, I think it is above all a momentum that has been built gradually. I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as a breakthrough, because this attitude and mindset have been there since the start of the season. The particularly successful week we experienced may simply have helped to unleash even more of that energy. Alex Aranburu’s victory is a very good example. His attack just 1.3 kilometres from the finish shows that freedom and belief in trying something, with the confidence needed to take responsibility at the decisive moment. It is these kinds of attitudes, added together, that build momentum and can take us towards many more successes.

Milan Fretin, Hugo Page and Alex Aranburu, who have all won recently, took part in the Tour de France. Benjamin Thomas is also in very good form… Is there a Tour de France effect?

I think there is clearly a Tour de France effect, although it obviously needs to be put into perspective. Riding three weeks of the Tour is an extremely intense experience, both physically and mentally. The riders inevitably come out of it having grown and with a great deal of additional experience. But what happens after the Tour is also important, and just as much so. They take the time to reconnect with their loved ones, enjoy time with their family and friends, and above all completely switch off from cycling. That mental break is essential. It allows them to breathe, take a step back and come back with renewed momentum, a fresh mindset and the desire to pursue new goals.

What is your view of Bryan Coquard’s victory at the Vuelta, having prepared relentlessly throughout the summer to achieve it?

He devoted a large part of his summer to preparing for a specific goal, and that requires a huge amount of commitment, discipline and belief. Naturally, the decision not to take part in the Tour de France was a disappointment for him. But Bryan was able to accept it quickly, bounce back and, above all, focus on what was still ahead of him. He believed that the Vuelta was an objective within his reach, that he could genuinely go out and win it. And that self-belief was certainly one of the driving forces behind his preparation. For me, that is the true attitude of a champion.

More generally, how can you maintain this positive momentum through to the end of the season?

I think the key is knowing how to manage the periods when you need to be fully committed to your goals and those when you need to know when to switch off and recover. This ability to take breaks and step back allows you to come back with even more energy and determination. And above all, we need to keep moving forward together, riders and staff alike, with the same desire and confidence. Everyone needs to maintain that 100% determination, while also knowing how to make the most of those moments when you can take a breather and enjoy yourself. It is this balance that will allow us to maintain this positive momentum and, I hope, experience many more special moments between now and the end of the season.

The “Golden Week” at a glance:

Tuesday, August 25 – Stage 1 of the Tour Poitou-Charentes:
Victory for Milan Fretin

Thursday, August 27 – Challenge Breton (para-cycling):
Victories for Katell Alençon, Gatien Le Rousseau, Louis Hubert and Nael Habasque

Friday, August 28 – Stage 4 of the Tour Poitou-Charentes:
Victory for Milan Fretin

Saturday, August 29 – Stage 8 of La Vuelta:
Victory for Bryan Coquard (video)

Sunday, August 30 – Stage 3 of the Tour of Tuscany:
Victory for Victoire Berteau

Sunday, August 30 – Bretagne Classic – CIC:
Victory for Alex Aranburu