Interview with Vincent Luis: “The Super League rewards those who have no weaknesses”

Interview by Pierre-Maxime BRANCHE. Photos: Super League Triathlon

3Bikes.fr: Vincent, we know you’re a fan of good coffee. Does a good day always start with a good black coffee? Can we talk to you before or is it better to wait until after?
Vincent Luis: Not necessarily. I especially appreciate good coffee. So, if it’s to drink coffee from a capsule, I prefer to abstain, which won’t prevent me from having a good day. I’m more of a morning person, so no problem discussing before or after…

3B: What culinary pleasures do you allow yourself? By the way, 3bikes.fr is coming for dinner tonight (there are 4 of us!), what are we eating?
V.L.: I don’t impose any dietary restrictions on myself. I eat what I want, when I want it. If you come tonight, I’ll probably make burgers. They’re quick to make and everyone loves burgers!

3B: 2018 ended with your victory at the WTS Grand Final in Gold Coast (Australia), your 2nd place worldwide, and spectacular victories in the Super League events in Jersey, Malta, and Mallorca. Did you enjoy the break, or do you miss training even during downtime?
V.L.: I was happy the break arrived… At the end of the season, I raced almost every weekend for two months. When I’m on a break, I don’t train at all, and I don’t miss it! It allows me to be ultra-motivated when I resume and not to have a drop in motivation during the season.

3B: What does Vincent Luis look like during the off-season: a night owl, a globetrotter, or both?
V.L.: I’m less and less of a night owl. With the lifestyle I have, I take advantage of the off-season to take care of everything I can’t do when I’m not home. I spend a week at home seeing my friends, fulfilling my obligations, then I disconnect.

3B: Honestly, is the Super League more fun than a WTS event? Given your physical abilities, wasn’t the Super League created for you?
V.L.: The Super League is really unique. It’s different. You race without pressure, there’s no title awarded at the end, you race for yourself and not for your Nation… These are efforts that suit me, that’s clear. I think it rewards those who have no weakness, and I don’t mind that.

In the future, I will certainly switch to the 70.3 format.

3B: Physically, what numbers are you willing to reveal: resting heart rate, maximum heart rate, VO2max, ventilatory thresholds? We want to know you in numbers.
V.L.: Sorry, but I have no idea. In fact, to break the myth, very few ITU pros still work with these tools… Whether it’s Mario Mola, Richard Murray, Henri Schoeman, Jonathan Brownlee, etc., no one uses these references. A good discussion with your coach and a flawless transcription of your feelings are much more interesting than an HRV test, if you ask me…

3B: You’ll be 30 in June, do you still feel like you’re physically progressing for the years to come? Do you never feel weary in any of the disciplines or at the start of certain competitions?
V.L.: I feel like I’m still progressing. My change of group gave me new momentum. I still have the desire to train and push myself. When that desire disappears, I think it will be time to turn the page.

3B: Will you ever switch to Long Distance?
V.L.: That’s a good question. The 70.3 format… yes, certainly. The full Ironman… very unlikely. For me, it’s a different sport that attracts me much less.

3B: You just mentioned changing your training group in mid-2018. You joined Canadian Joël Filliol, a structure exclusively made up of triathletes. On social media, we had the impression of seeing you reborn and having a blast. Is that the case?
V.L.: It’s clear that I’m having a blast; change is always good from a motivational point of view. Then, the lifestyle is different: we train in nice places, you have different personalities in the group, which allows you to chat with the person of your choice depending on your mood at the moment.

3B: Is this finally the end of Mario Mola’s global reign, your training partner, on the world circuit?
V.L.: Mario is very strong; he has very few weaknesses. He knows them and works every day to overcome them. I have a lot of respect for him. If he wins again this year, it’s because he was stronger.

3B: You also joined Team Bahrain Endurance 13, what’s the benefit for you?
V.L.: It’s a team made up of the best international short and long-distance athletes. We exchange ideas on everything related to races, training, training camps, etc. It’s also, of course, financial support that helps me fund my season.

My goal for 2019 is to be on the podium of the overall World Triathlon Series

3B: Let’s talk bikes, you’ve been riding Specialized for several seasons. Which model do you prefer: Venge or Tarmac?
V.L.: I like both frames. If I had to choose one, I’d say the Venge. It’s a really stiff bike, especially at the front. The use of thru-axles reinforces this stiffness. They also worked a lot on the weight. So, I end up with an aero, stiff, and light bike.

I like both the Venge and the Tarmac. If I had to choose one, I’d say the Venge. It’s a really stiff bike, especially at the front.

3B: How will your 2019 season be structured, what are your targeted objectives? Does August 20th, the day of the qualification test event for Tokyo 2020, represent the peak of the year?
V.L.: My goal for 2019 is to be on the podium of the overall World Triathlon Series. The test event is not my number one objective. For me, if you have the level to make the overall podium, it means you have the level to make the podium in every race you start, and therefore at the Olympic Games too. In 2015, I finished 2nd in the test event, and in 2016 I finished 7th at the Rio Olympics. I learned my lesson.

3B: So, the inevitable question: Tokyo 2020 is tomorrow. Are you already thinking about the Olympic race? Do you have premonitory dreams?
V.L.: “Tomorrow is a long way off”…

Much is expected of the French relay team, resources are being put in place to perform, but be careful not to put pressure on the athletes.

3B: Given the talent in the French team, and the 2018 performances of the French mixed relay team, European and World champions let’s remember, that gives you a double Olympic objective. Do we have the best team in the world?
V.L.: Without a doubt, our team is one of the best in the world, if not the best. In a relay, many things can happen. There’s a lot of buzz around the relay, a lot of pressure is already being put on, even though we’re still far from the Games. We’ll have to manage all that first. Much is expected of the French relay team, resources are being put in place to perform, but be careful not to put pressure on the athletes.

3B: Before we let you start the new WTS season tomorrow in Abu Dhabi: without triathlon, what would you be doing today in 2019? And in 10 years, in 2029, how do you see yourself?
V.L.: In an ideal world, I would work in design, creation, product development. I’m someone who lives by instinct, day by day, so it’s a complicated exercise for me. But at 40, I just want to be surrounded by the people I love. The rest has very little importance.