Valentine Fortin reflected on a successful 2023 season with Total-Velo. Fortin attributed her achievements to hard work, determination, and a strong focus on mental preparation, which has been instrumental in her impressive performances on both the track and road this year. She highlights her silver medal in the elimination event at the World Championships and a bronze in the team pursuit, alongside her victories on the road, as her biggest accomplishments.
Fortin praises the excellent team atmosphere and cohesion at Cofidis, which significantly contributed to her success. Despite her wish for better results in the Women’s WorldTour, Fortin expresses overall satisfaction with her season, noting more triumphs than disappointments.
Regarding her training regime, Fortin balances track and road disciplines, focusing primarily on road cycling when at home in Grenoble. She plans to start her 2024 season with the track championships in January, followed by a focus on road racing until April. Fortin acknowledges the difficulty in balancing both disciplines but stresses the importance of emotional stability and good relations between the federation and teams.
When asked about her preferred discipline, Fortin expresses a love for both track and road racing, unable to choose between them. She enjoys the adrenaline and tactical aspects of track events and appreciates the later bloom of her road racing career, which she sees as an advantage.
Fortin’s approach to her 2024 objectives includes participating in the World Cup on the track in Hamilton in April and then returning to road racing in May and June. She looks forward to the opportunities that a potential wild card entry with Cofidis might bring, such as participating in the Vuelta in May. The team finished as the highest-scoring Continental team in 2023, guaranteeing themselves a Wildcard spot and entry into the entirety of the 2024 Women’s WorldTour calendar.
Looking ahead to the 2024 Tour de France Femmes, Fortin considers the possibility of participating, especially with the route passing through Grenoble. She acknowledges the challenge of transitioning from the Olympics to the Tour but remains open to the opportunity, prioritising the Olympics first.
