French time trialist and Classics rider Rémi Cavagna has said that a language barrier and sudden changes in his race programme are partly to blame for his lacklustre first half of the 2024 season after his move to Movistar.
Cavagna, 28, joined the longstanding Spanish WorldTour team after seven seasons with the QuickStep Belgian squad but has had below-expectations results in his races through to mid-June.
In the Classics, his best placing was 47th in E3 Harelbeke, and while he recently claimed fourth in the French National Championships, that was his one top ten time trial result this season so far.
The former double French time trial champion told L’Équipe that he has yet to settle in completely with his new squad, Movistar. He said a language barrier was making it difficult to communicate at times, and changes in his race programme were not helping either.
Contacted by Cyclingnews about Cavagna's interview, Movistar said they had no comment to make.
Speaking before he finished fourth in the French TT Nationals behind new champion Bruno Armirail (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) and just a second off the podium, Cavagna added he was uncertain of a start in Movistar's Tour de France team - another pre-season goal.
Asked by L’Équipe if he had expected such a difficult transition from one team to another, he said “To tell the truth, no. I didn’t imagine it being so hard.“
“I spent seven great years at QuickStep, it was all easy, but I’d got to an age where I wanted to try something different. In any case, I don’t regret my decision.”
Cavagna said that while very happy with the experience of working with a new squad - “I’ve been enriched by that” - he had, he said, wanted more freedom of choice regarding his race program.
One of the biggest obstacles he faced was "the language barrier."
“I’ve progressed in Spanish, I’ve taken some courses, I invested in that and I understand almost everything. But when I want to express myself a bit, I’ve found myself on the limit, and it’s a bit rubbish when I try to integrate myself.”
“The Spanish form a bit of a block in the team, everything’s in Spanish on the race radio, and that’s complicated in the important moments of the race.”
As for the changes in race programme, Cavagna claimed initial plans that he do the Criterium du Dauphiné were scrapped, and that it remained uncertain if he would do the Tour de France.
“I don’t know about it yet, it was confirmed but for the moment, I don’t have much news,” he told the French newspaper.
“I’ve looked over the Tour time trial stages, they are really nice, there are other great stages. And I know that a victory on the Tour can change a career. If I don't do the Tour, it could be a real blow to me.”
“But I’m not losing hope. Even though I haven't had a spectacular season, I feel like I'm gaining momentum and if I had a free-wheeling role in the Tour, it would only need one stage to change a season and go from red to green.”
“I changed teams to change things and I feel like I'm still at square one,” he added with a smile. “I didn't sign up for this.”
He also admitted that his change of coach in 2024 as well as switching from a Specialized to a Canyon bike at Movistar had not been as straightforward as he would have liked.
“I came to the team to evolve and things are going downhill for now. But I’m not here to finish in the top 50 in the Tour of Belgium. I’m worth more than that.”
“We have to communicate, that’s the basis of everything, just like in a relationship,” he insisted about his team, with which he has a three year contract, “that way we can advance together.”
“Right now, I’m not giving them anything and they’re not giving me anything. It’s complicated.”
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