Interview Claire Steels

In recent years we see more & more atletes joining cycling after being active in completely different sports. We saw Primoz Roglic & Fem van Empel succesfully making the switch in the past few years. This season former duatlete Claire Steels achieved her first top 10 spot in a World Tour Classic. The British rider entered the sport in her mid thirties and convinced World Tour team Israel Premier Tech Roland to give her a chance on the highest level in the sport. After strong performances in Australia & the UAE she finished 9th in the prestigious Trofeo Binda. She's hungry for more. In this inteview she tells about how she entered the sport, her ambitions in her new discipline and about her life on and off the bike.

 

You entered the pro peloton in 2020, during the peak of the corona pandemic. How did it feel to debut in the international peloton in such unusual circumstances?

It was definitely a strange situation to be in. I had just started racing for a Spanish continental team, it was a huge step up, a different language and then after two races the pandemic hit and we had quite a strict lockdown here in Spain. I spent my lockdown doing fitness classes and personal training sessions online for my clients and was then lucky enough to have access to an indoor trainer so then spent the afternoons on Zwift so was able to maintain my fitness and actually came out of lockdown pretty fit. It was definitely strange to return to racing in those conditions but I think because everything was so new to me anyway I didn’t really know what to expect even without that situation. Obviously the masks, social distancing, testing etc was an adjustment and there was a lot of uncertainly around races and the calendar. I guess maybe in a way it made the transition into the peloton more of a gradual process rather than such a shock to the system.

You used to take part in duatlon. What attracted you to switch to cycling?

The cycling aspect of duathlon was so new and fresh to me and opened up a whole new world. I’ve always loved running and always will do but I had definitely hit a plateau with my running performance but my cycling was progressing quickly and I was very motivated by that development. I was enjoying the training more, the challenges more and running was starting to feel like a bit of a drag. I took part in an ultra marathon around the Isle of Wight and that was the final straw, I needed a break from running and switched my focus to cycling. I still love running in the off season and do miss it a lot, but I wouldn’t ever want to train competitively for it again!

After a good year in the continental circuits, you adapted very well to World Tour races this season so far. Do you feel yourself that you set a step forward?

I feel stronger and more confident with my presence in the peloton, in that I feel as though I deserve to be there. This year has started much better than I expected. I had some good results (for me) in Australia at the start of the year and I think that helped to establish a level of confidence that I wasn’t expecting and that is always a great foundation to build on. I feel fitter and stronger than before but also a lot more rested and I believe that is the biggest difference.

You're also a fitness coach. Could you tell more about it?

Yes I have a fitness company called Steels Fitness. Since the pandemic the online presence of the business has really grown and I would now consider it to be a digital fitness business, with online classes and PT sessions as well as sport specific coaching; with fitness and cycling camps from here in Mallorca. Obviously my business has taken a back seat since I started racing this year, no more early morning / late night fitness classes and I do miss it a lot. Im incredibly passionate about the importance of an active lifestyle and helping others to not only engage in activity on a regular basis but to enjoy it and thrive on it.

As a coach, do you also like to motivate your team mates ahead of the race, or you feel differently in your role as a cyclist?

Erm, half and half! Ha! I would say that as a person it is in my nature to try and encourage and support everyone around me and I’ve grown up playing team sports that sort that behaviour has always transferred into a sports environment, but it isn’t something that I actively think about doing. I am new to the team and also far from the most experience rider on the team so whilst I think I can be encouraging as a person, it isn’t necessarily cycling specific, more about lifting a mood or calming nerves.

What are your cycling goals for this season?

At the start of the year I said that I really wanted to use this year to gain as much experience as possible and learn and help the team. I have come into cycling so late in my life but I have no intention of stopping anytime soon so want to keep learning and developing. In terms of specific outcomes, I wanted a top 10 in a world tour race and I have an achieved that which is great. I would also love a GC podium and obviously a victory or two would be nice!

It's your first year in the World Tour, do you feel that there is a big gap between World Tour & continental teams?

I feel as though there are two levels of continental teams and there is definitely a big gap in between the world tour teams and the smaller continental teams. Money obviously has an impact and the difference in the equipment and materials that teams have access to is huge. But it’s also things like having a team bus so that you can shower straight after the race, travel with more space not squashed in the back of the car for 8 hours etc. Dont get me wrong, Ive had some hilarious road trips in these situations and wouldn’t change it for anything, but I definitely appreciate travelling in a bit more comfort now. 

 

Are you superstitious? Do you have certain things that you always do before the race?

I wouldn’t say that I’m superstitious, I do have a morning routine that I like to follow before racing, such as a specific yoga session that I do, the same breakfast etc but it isn’t really superstition.