Maarten Tjallingii: “We are in Tour d’Alsace for the win”
30/07/2019
In the eve of Tour d’Alsace’s kick-off, we sat down for a quick Q&A with our DS for the race, Maarten Tjallingii. The former 14-year old professional is enjoying his first year in the Academy structure, empowering the roles of sports director and performance coach. The long-lived experience of the Dutchman, who has 11 GrandTour starts on his shoulders, is bringing our talents to the next level, not only performance-wise but also in the mental terrain.
How do you feel about the first part of the season with the Academy?
It’s been a fine period of getting to know each other, where we kicked off with two motivational workshops on energy, focus and attention. The 3 key elements for successful performance. Most of the material was new to the SEG Racing Academy talents. Some were curious and eager to learn, others reluctant and hesitant to believe in more than wattage and heart rate. With some homework, the guys were off for their first races. During which we worked on communication during the race. The leading question being: How do you want to be coached, what motivates you? It sounds simple but so important.
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In between races I’ve worked on a more personal level with questions regarding motivation & confidence. In those sessions, I give the riders homework for during their next race (or training session) which we evaluate afterward. So in short, it’s been a lot of awareness building, the first and most important step in creating change.
What are the things that you are looking forward to the next months?
To be honest, fresh out of the Tour de France a week off would be great. But hey, Tour d’Alsace is waiting. Time for the SEG riders to show what they have in this beautiful area of France. I expect them to become more and more in charge of their own learning questions, and hope to challenge them even more! Then, for the remainder of the year, I hope to work with the staff members as well, because I believe the whole team should benefit the same knowledge.
What will be the goals for Tour d’Alsace?
We’re in it for the WIN! Stages and maybe even more. I hope to see eagerness and motivation in the team. Both individually and team-wise..
How do you feel about the first part of the season with the Academy?
It’s been a fine period of getting to know each other, where we kicked off with two motivational workshops on energy, focus and attention. The 3 key elements for successful performance. Most of the material was new to the SEG Racing Academy talents. Some were curious and eager to learn, others reluctant and hesitant to believe in more than wattage and heart rate. With some homework, the guys were off for their first races. During which we worked on communication during the race. The leading question being: How do you want to be coached, what motivates you? It sounds simple but so important.
`
In between races I’ve worked on a more personal level with questions regarding motivation & confidence. In those sessions, I give the riders homework for during their next race (or training session) which we evaluate afterward. So in short, it’s been a lot of awareness building, the first and most important step in creating change.
What are the things that you are looking forward to the next months?
To be honest, fresh out of the Tour de France a week off would be great. But hey, Tour d’Alsace is waiting. Time for the SEG riders to show what they have in this beautiful area of France. I expect them to become more and more in charge of their own learning questions, and hope to challenge them even more! Then, for the remainder of the year, I hope to work with the staff members as well, because I believe the whole team should benefit the same knowledge.
What will be the goals for Tour d’Alsace?
We’re in it for the WIN! Stages and maybe even more. I hope to see eagerness and motivation in the team. Both individually and team-wise..