GW: “Hola mi amigo.”

Juan Antonio Flecha: “Hola, Gareth.”

GW: “Are you feeling better?”

JAF: “Yeah, I just wasn’t feeling 100% yesterday. You can’t be too careful at the moment, especially with my wife being pregnant. But I woke up feeling great this morning.”

GW: “It’s hard, isn’t it? If you don’t feel good, you become paranoid that you have the virus. You can’t get the thought out of your head. When I got back from Italy, I took a test straight away for peace of mind.”

JAF: “Yes, you have to know the truth, otherwise, your head lies to you.”

GW: “Let’s do a lap ‘estable’, then go for coffee before my veins run out of caffeine.”

JAF: “Yes, it’s coffee time.”

“Nice bike! We’re on the same set-up, except for the groupset. Campagnolo?… nice.”

“Look, the same frame, wheels, tyres, brakes, ah, I have the integrated bar-stem though: It’s lighter, stiffer, more aerodynamic, cleaner looking.”

“Why did you choose a classic bar/stem setup?”

GW: “I like traditional round drop bars. I’m stuck in the old-school. I’m like a 70-year-old man stuck in a 31-year-old body.”

JAF: “That means I’m younger than you, right?”

GW: “Hahaha, you certainly are. You have the energy of a 25-year-old.”

“How do you like the VAM vs your O2?”

JAF: “It’s just the weight. What is it, like 6kg? When the road goes up, and you get out the saddle, it’s like ‘Pfffft’ - there’s nothing there. My O2 is more versatile though.”

GW: “Hahaha, Yeah, exactly. I haven’t weighed mine yet. People keep asking ‘how light is it?’.

“Maybe I should?”

JAF: “Yeah, weight it. I want to know. I bet it’s lighter than mine with that Campagnolo groupset.”

GW: “You’re known as a classics specialist. Which bike would you pick for the cobbles?”

JAF: “I’d ride my O2. I think the VAM is too light for the cobbles. It would bounce around too much.”

GW: “Israel Start-Up Nation and Parkhotel Valkenburg used the VAM during Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, so It can take a beating.”

JAF: “That is true, but I think the O2 would be more comfortable.”

GW: “Why did you choose Factor? It’s not the obvious choice. You could ride for any bike manufacturer in the world: Pinarello, S-Works, etc.”

JAF: “A friend of mine had one. I took it for a ride and was like, “Wow. This is special.”

GW: “Same here. I took a factor O2 on a test ride. I was like, “Fuck, what am I missing out on?“ You have to experience it to understand. You know?

JAF: “How was Tuscany?”

GW: “It was incredible. After watching the Stade Bianche, I had to swap my white walls of lockdown for the white roads of Tuscany.”

JAF: “It’s such a good race. Did you use the same setup? 28mm tyres?”

GW: “Yeah, 28s, they can do everything. The roads and gravel sections were empty when I set off in the morning. So I could pick my own line and ride on the smoothest gravel.

GW: “The whole trip was amazing. The Italians made me feel welcome. I was a bit scared that they would all resent me for travelling to their country during COVID. The nation is heartbroken. But they took me in like I was family. Except in the cities, they just wanted me to tap my credit card and fuck off.”

JAF: “Hahaha. Yeah, It’s the same in every city, they just want your money. Then you are done.”

GW: “Yeah. In the country you're a guest, in the city, you’re a tourist.”

“How was your lockdown in Spain?”

JAF: “It was hard. We couldn’t go out at all. You guys (in the UK) could go out for a walk. We couldn’t do anything. I was standing in front of my house with my son for some air, and the police came and asked for my I.D. I was like, “This is my house!"

GW: “That must have been tough for you and your family?”

JAF: “Yeah, it was tough, but you have to make the best of it.”

“I was on Zwift every day, like you. The training and the routine really helped."

GW: “Yeah, I wasn’t really into training indoors before lockdown, but now I’m addicted. The progression you can make is incredible. I’m stronger for it.”

”I did a session this morning. I’m glad we’re just going for a coffee. My legs are broken.”

JAF: “It’s true. Turbo trainers make you stronger. It’s hard in the summer, though. It’s too hot."

GW: “Haha, yeah. It saps the power out of your legs.”

“Well, maybe not yours. Look at the fucking size of them…”

JAF: “Haha, not these days.”

GW: “You’re just being modest.”

JAF: “I remember the Tour of Qatar Team Time Trial. Dave Brailsford shipped over eight heavy turbo trainers so we could warm up properly. We won the TTT so maybe it was worth the effort, huh?”

Tour of Qatar 2010 Stage 1 TTT: Team Sky Pro Cycling

1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Pro Cycling Team 0:09:41

2. Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) Sky Pro Cycling Team

3. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Pro Cycling Team

4. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Pro Cycling Team

5. Lars-Peter Nordhaug (Nor) Sky Pro Cycling Team

6. Russel Downing (GBr) Sky Pro Cycling Team

“Back then, it was a crazy thing to do. But now every team uses them to warm up and cool down before a race.”

GW: “All of Brailsford’s ideas seem crazy, at first. Then you realise, ‘ah, that makes perfect sense’. He is the least crazy person in the world. Maybe that makes him crazy?”

JAF: “He’s brilliant.”

GW: “Unique.”

“Every time I had a conversation with him, I felt like I learned something. I always walked away with a head full of ideas or solutions.”

JAF: “Yes. He empowers you.”

GW: “That’s the word I’m looking for, yeah, he empowers people. I learned a lot from Sir Dave, not cycling stuff, you know, human stuff/people stuff.

“I started working with Team Sky in 2013. I was working at Sky News while you were racing in 2010/2011. I’ve got Brad’s Rainforest Rescue gilet from ‘the good old days’, signed by him, Froome, Eddy the Boss and you.”

JAF: “Good times.”

GW: “Looking back at the start of Team Sky, the world had never seen a British World Tour team before. Cycling wasn’t big in the UK back then. You know, cycling was a real niche-sport until 2012.”

“I can remember watching the 2010 Spring Classics, You won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. I was like ‘What the fuck? A Spanish Rider has just won a Belgian race for a British Team’.”

“I don't know what was more unreal, a British Team at the World Tour or a Spaniard winning a Spring Classic? 😉.”

JAF: “Hahahahaha.”

GW: “Another ‘Unique’ person.”

JAF: “It’s so much nicer cycling here than in central London.”

GW: “You didn’t do much racing in Britain, did you?”

JAF: “None.”

GW: “Next time you’re down I’ll take you on a tour of the Surrey Hills. Not the ‘tourists traps’ like Box Hill, I’ll take you to the real Surrey.”

JAF: “I can’t wait.”

GW: “We’re going to G!ro for coffee, have you heard of it?”

JAF: “Oh cool, I have always wanted to go there.”

GW: “Great coffee and cycling. What more can you want?”

JAF: “Maybe a massage?”

GW: “I’ve only got hand sanitiser in my pocket, not massage oil.”

JAF: “Hahaha.”

JAF: “Wow, look at this bike. I used to race one of this frame for Banesto.”

GW: “Brilliant.”

“How do you like your coffee? Fancy a pastry?”

JAF: “Just latte, I’m okay for food.”

JAF: “Hang on. I know this logo, It’s on my socks.”

JAF: “I can’t believe it. What a coincidence.”

JAF: “This coffee is good. I can see why this place is full of cyclists.”

GW: “It’s good, huh? Plenty of space to park our bikes, perfect coffee and the food is good. Next time you’re down, we’ll come here to fuel-up before we head into the hills.”

JAF: “I’m back in October. We’ll go and do four hours or something?”

GW: “Perfect.”

“I just spotted your retro Dura-Ace pedals. They’re cool.”

JAF: “I still have them from my Team Sky days.”

GW: “Really? Why have you kept them for so long?”

JAF: “They are so much stronger than the new ones. Once you are clipped in, you can’t escape. Me and Mark Cavendish kept these pedals because you need a solid base when you sprint. You can’t afford to lose your foot.”

GW: “Yeah, I guess you guys need something a bit… stronger. Mark on the sprint finishes, you on the cobblestones.”

JAF: “Exactly. Froome and the other guys are more efficient. For Mark and me, it was about explosive efforts.”

GW: “Like when you won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, eh? That was a great race, Michael Barry drilled it on the front for you guys, with Stannard, G, Hayman…”

(Juan cut me off, excited by the recollection of Michael Barry’s name.)

JAF: “…Michael Barry was our classics captain: Roubaix, Flanders, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, etc. He knows road cycling better than anyone: where to be, how to position, how to get through corners without other teams getting cutting you off and slowing you down, how to play the game, the tactics, you know? Everything.

GW: “This is my grandad’s medal from a time trial he won back in 1949.”

JAF: “No way?”

GW: “My grandad and Michael Barry’s dad, Mike, used to race together before he emigrated to Canada.”

JAF: “That’s so cool. I was sorry to hear about his father.”

GW: “Yeah, me too. I sent to him some old pictures of Mike and my grandfather. Those two looked so cool racing together.”

“I have always been a fan of Michael. Not just because of the family connection, mostly because of his writing and outlook on cycling, and of course… watching him ‘drill it’ on the front all day for you guys (during the spring classics in 2010/2011).”

“He knew you could take the win or podium, so he did everything he could to get you there. A proper team player, captain and domestique.”

JAF: “He wrote something nice about his father on Instagram recently.”

GW: “Yeah, I remember reading this.

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about. He always articulates things that I am unable to put into words: observations, feelings, experiences, things that I can relate to.”

“Who are your cycling heroes?”

JAF: “Induráin.”

GW: “Of course.”

JAF: “And the Mapei Train.”

GW: “Museeuw is one of my all-time heroes.”

JAF: “Yes, me too. Him and Frank Vandenbroucke.”

GW: “R.I.P. Frank. A legend.”

“Fancy another coffee?”

JAF: “Yeah, maybe an espresso, so I can appreciate the taste.”

Does Juan ever stop smiling? No, that’s why he’s such a great commentator and ride companion.

I always joke that my face would crack if I ever tried smiling (I take life far too seriously). Well, today it shattered into a thousand pieces. You’ll find shards of my brittle face all over the road between Richmond Park and Hampton Court Palace.

See you soon, Juan. Thanks for the company.

Gareth.