Last season Frederik Willems put an end to his career as a pro cyclist. He got another function in the Lotto Soudal team, that of sports director. In December Willems followed a UCI course of twelve days in Aigle, Switzerland, to prepare for his new career.
Frederik Willems, sports director Lotto Soudal: “As of the 2016 season sports directors of World Tour and professional continental teams will have to come from a group of people that have followed a UCI course and received the diploma. For people with experience a five-day course is sufficient, but there was no place left. That’s why I followed a course of twelve days. It takes place in groups of maximal twelve people. There were many persons from continental teams in the group which was very international: Britons, Spaniards, Colombians and Chinese. We learnt from each other as well. At the end we had a test, which we had to pass to receive our diploma.”
Working in group
“We were informed about different subjects, like the anti-doping policy and technical rules. For example the positioning of time trial bikes. A sports director has to know all these guidelines. Another subject was working in group. How to speak in front of a group, how can you motivate and lead a group? That was very instructive. There were assignments for which we had to divide the tasks. The essence of this all was to get to a better result as a group in only a few days.”
Preparing for the new career
“Two days a commissioner of the UCI came to tell about certain race situations an told us why a certain decision is taken. With 25 teams in a race they have to be neutral and decide what is possible and what not. As a sports director in the car you want the best for your team, but it was interesting to look at this from another perspective. This course was definitely useful. You have to get experience by doing the job of course, but I won’t be unprepared for my first race as sports director.”
Début at GP La Marseillaise
“By taking this course the winter was already different for me than other years when I was a cyclist. I had turned that page already earlier, especially because I had stayed at home four months after my crash. I could more easily go out on an excursion with my family and also the holidays were different. Here on training camp I don’t have the urge to get on the bike. I will make my début as sports director in the GP La Marseillaise on 1st February. When I step in the team car it will be a beautiful moment.”
