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“Horses are athletes like us”, Valentin Madouas, from the peloton at the racecourse

2022-09-19T08:55:52.595Z


Eleventh in the last Tour de France, cyclist Valentin Madouas was present on Sunday at the Paris-Vincennes racecourse. Passionate about one


Swapping his helmet for that of trotting races, that would not have displeased Valentin Madouas.

Sunday, it was not on a horse (nor on a bicycle) but in the stands that the cyclist from the French team came to attend the day of the Criteriums for 3, 4, and 5 Year Olds, as a passionate It is.

The recent winner of two stages in the Tour du Luxembourg has been caught up - "recently", as he says himself - by the world of horse racing.

"It happens that we do Equidia evenings," he breathes with a smile.

🏆 #𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘�s 𝟯 -𝟰 -𝟱 - 𝗟𝗲𝘀 𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀 🏅



🏅 Just a Gigolo - Franck Nivard


🏅 Italiano Vero - David Thomain


🏅 Hussard du Landret - Benoît Robin Pic.twitter.com/jbvvxknh0y

— LeTROT (@LeTrot) September 18, 2022

“My girlfriend is into horses so it was by knowing her that I got a little interested in it, continues the one whose in-laws are breeders and owners of around twenty trotting horses.

The first times I met his parents, there were all the horses around.

I learned about the subject and then I fell in love with it.

»

Attracted by sport in general, Valentin Madouas therefore entered, in spite of himself, but very willingly, into a universe that combines sporting performance and love of animals: "For me, it's a sporting universe so, from there, there necessarily has an expectation, and the fact of knowing people, horses and supporting them, we see the passion that this generates.

It's very special, and we necessarily get attached to the horses, that's what is beautiful in this environment too.

It is an elegant, noble animal.

When they are ready and well sharpened, they are real beautiful beasts.

»

"I regularly go to the racecourse"

Far from being a great gambler, the Groupama-FDJ rider, 11th in the last Tour de France, admits despite everything that he indulges in the pleasure of dropping a small note on a few races, especially when it comes to horses that 'he knows.

“I am not a great player but inevitably, like any sportsman, we always have this soul of play and competition, he admits.

I'm not going to bet 100 euros but 5 euros on a winning horse, that amuses me, and when I go to Vincennes, I like to play a little bit even when there aren't necessarily the horses we support .

»

While the world of horse racing now represents a large part of his life, the Breton will not change his mount: “In absolute terms, I would have liked being a jockey but I'm not made for that.

I'm too heavy and I also need to get home from time to time to take a breather, while they are always on the four paths.

But it’s clear that it makes you want to practice…”

Become a short-term owner

So if you are not a jockey or a driver, why not become a horse owner?

“Yes, it may be possible, reports the Brestois.

I already want to think about my career but why not have a horse this year or next year.

With my girlfriend, we would like to have some in the short term, buy one, but not do anything either.

We're not going to put big money on it.

It is above all for passion and experiencing emotions.

»

Take off for Australia 🇦🇺 ✈️ Let's go to my 3rd world championships 🌈!

Come on blues 🇫🇷 https://t.co/NflT8J5Fun

— Valentin Madouas (@MadouasValentin) September 13, 2022

Valentin Madouas, who is preparing to compete in the World Road Championships, in any case shares two passions, which he links quite easily.

“It's a sport that has parallels with cycling,” he concludes.

All the preparation, recovery… I consider horses to be athletes like us.

They are massaged, cared for, they are real runners.

Also in training, we feel that they are prepared and sharpened for the big competitions.

They have running programs to build pressure to the goals.

It is very similar to cycling.

"And to add:" On the race as such, there is the same phenomenon of aspiration, knowing how to manage your horse well, it is also knowing how to make the effort at the right time and play with the characteristics of each .

Some are harder, others are sprinters,

it's a bit like us in the way of doing things.

And all this game around horse racing is addictive, interesting.

»

Source: leparis

All sports articles on 2022-09-19

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