Ex Rider Interview: The 80’s and the 90’s have been one of many golden occasions of cycle racing with Hinault, Fignon, Indurain, Lemond and plenty of extra. Bruno Cornillet was no large hitter, however he labored for among the greatest names and constructed up a nice palmarès in a tough time to take wins. Ed Hood caught up with the now pilot to listen to his story.
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Bruno Cornillet climbing Ventoux within the Tour’87 TT
He rode for among the most well-known groups of the 80’s and 90’s, alongside among the sport’s most well-known names – fellow Breton, Bernard Hinault, Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle, Greg Lemond, Viatcheslav Ekimov. . .
A really younger Bruno Cornillet with Bernard Hinault
Alongside the best way he scored some large wins together with the cult GP Ouest France Plouay and Circuit de la Sarthe amongst some 24 skilled victories. The palmarès ‘bible,’ GOTHA describes him thus; ‘A flexible bike owner with lots of regularity. He distinguished himself each in smaller stage races and semi-classics.’ Monsieur Bruno Cornillet.
La Vie Claire and Peugeot
Our first query was how he got here to get his first professional contract with not just a few second division outfit however with Bernard Tapie’s legendary La Vie Claire crew for 1984 alongside the likes of all-time nice, Bernard Hinault, Milan-Sanremo winner, Marc Gomez and Tour de France, King of the Mountains, Bernard Vallet?
Bruno Cornillet: I used to be fairly younger, simply 19 years-old and at that age you needed to do your one 12 months army service however I had some good outcomes after the ’83 Worlds together with making the rostrum within the Chrono des Nations. The crew needed to deliver on some younger French expertise and I acquired the trip.
PEZ: Your 1984 debut season was sturdy.
Sure, I gained a stage and the GC within the Tour of Valencia was on the GC podium on the Dunkerque 4 Day and was third in Paris-Camembert. It was all the way down to the brand new coaching strategies – together with interval coaching – which our coach, the Swiss former skilled rider, Paul Kochli launched, I responded effectively to them.
Maasen and Cornillet
PEZ: The well-known French entrepreneur, Bernard Tapie was behind that crew.
Sure, and he was an excellent motivator, an inspiration to the riders on the crew, he would frequently attend the races.
PEZ: Regardless of stable ends in 1985 you left La Vie Claire to go to Peugeot.
The primary 12 months was nice however within the second 12 months I realised that it was not the most effective crew for me, there have been so many stars – Kim Andersen, Steve Bauer, Bernard Hinault, Greg Lemond – that it was laborious to get chosen for the massive races the place you acquire expertise. The coaching strategies at Peugeot have been not so good as with Paul Kochli however the change of atmosphere did me good and I used to be with Peugeot for 1986.
Rolf Soerensen following
PEZ: As a Scotsman, I’ve to ask you about your Peugeot crew mate and our nation’s greatest-ever rider, Robert Millar?
He was an excellent crew mate, he was concerned with the crew, prepared to assist but additionally a winner – he was robust and would very not often give up a race. He ought to have gained that ‘86 Vuelta.
PEZ: You gained levels in Paris-Good, Romandie, the Dauphine, Tour of Eire and Coors CLassic however your greatest win got here in 1990, the ‘cult’ GP Ouest France Plouay.
It’s a particular occasion – I’d been second there the 12 months earlier than to Jean-Claude Colotti so I understood the race. Within the final kilometres everyone seems to be drained and in case you are sturdy within the head then you may take your alternatives within the finale.
Subsequent to a struggling Suijkerbuijk within the Worlds
PEZ: Season ’91 was good for you with good wins and simply off the rostrum within the Tour of Lombardy.
I used to be bettering 12 months on 12 months and misplaced weight which all the time helps, I gained the time trial within the Circuit de la Sarthe and took the general there too. I gained A Travers le Morbihan too, that 12 months. I began ’92 strongly with a win within the Trofee de Vendee and had a great Giro the place I completed within the prime 10 on GC. I used to be trying ahead to the Tour de France however crashed out on cobbles on Stage Seven to Valkenburg, breaking my elbow. I completed the season with podiums although, in Paris-Bourges and GP Isbergues.
PEZ: You went to the Novemail crew in ’93, was it a wrench to depart the Peugeot/Z crew after seven seasons there?
Bruno: I used to be not so tough because it was to depart La Vie Claire. I used to be with Peter Put up at Novemail and reunited with Paul Kochli, who had a coaching position with the crew – which was excellent for the youthful guys on the squad. Put up was pragmatic and I loved working with him however he shouted loads if we didn’t get outcomes for him! Walter Planckaert as DS was good, he knew that 30 year-old guys don’t must be informed what to do and trusted us to do our job.
Subsequent to Phil Anderson in Amstel’93
PEZ: The 1993 semi-classic Paris-Bourges was a pleasant win for you.
It was very darkish that day with a head wind and thunder within the last, the velocity of the peloton dropped, the Belgian guys began taking a look at one another and I took my likelihood.
PEZ: You went to Chazal after Novemail.
The crew was a little bit smaller however I used to be glad to return again to France, the ambiance was good and my motivation was sturdy.
With Z on a Lemond
PEZ: Lanterne rouge within the 1995 Tour.
I had a nasty saddle sore that season and needed to go below a normal anaesthetic to have it lower out, that was the week earlier than the Tour, so not the most effective preparation. However I did get good post-Tour criterium contracts from being lanterne rouge.
PEZ: You had an extended profession, who have been the personalities that impressed you most within the sport?
For administration it could be Walter Planckaert at Novemail and Philippe Crepel at La Vie Claire; for coaching it could be Paul Koechli at La Vie Claire; for negotiating sponsorships, Roger Legeay at Peugeot; as riders, Bernard Hinault and the late Bert Oosterbosch.
Climbing forward of Indurain, Delgado and Lemond within the 1990 Tour
PEZ: Your profession hi-lite?
I had 24 skilled wins of my very own however serving to Greg Lemond to win the 1990 Tour de France with Z was particular, taking part in a decisive position for him within the mountains – that was very satisfying.
Worlds’89
PEZ: Regrets?
Not a lot however it could have been good to trip with one of many English-speaking groups, the mentality was totally different.
With Chazal in ’95
PEZ: You’re an airline pilot now?
Sure, with HOP, a subsidiary of Air France, I fly routes like Paris to Aberdeen and Paris to Edinburgh.
# As soon as a quick man, all the time a quick man, with due to Bruno and to Linda Ann for connecting us. #
Flying excessive today
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