Ex-Rider Interview: One of many worst Tour crashes that the rider remounted and completed the stage needs to be when Juan Antonio Flecha and Johnny Hoogerland crashed via a barbed wire fence. Ed Hood caught up with Johnny to speak about previous instances… good and unhealthy.
“I’m by no means happier than once I’m writing.”
~ Ed Hood, as spoken to Martin Williamson from the passenger seat, driving alongside a stage route on the Tour de France.
Expensive Readers – Our beloved colleague and buddy Ed Hood suffered a critical stroke in February. We don’t anticipate Ed will make it again into our bunch, so we’ve began a GoFundMe web page to assist Ed along with his future. Learn the complete submit right here – and please think about donating.
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We’ll be posting a number of Ed’s work from the previous 16 years, as a result of nice story-telling by no means will get previous.
Ouch!
The opposite week I penned a chunk about riders who had come again – or not – from unhealthy crashes. When one writes a chunk a like that it’s by no means supposed to be a definitive checklist, simply private opinion and recollections; there’s at all times somebody you’ll overlook. One title that got here to thoughts after the piece appeared was that of Dutchman Johnny Hoogerland, who most will bear in mind because the sufferer of a horrible crash within the 2011 Tour de France when he and Juan Antonio Flecha have been introduced down when a automobile overtaking their five-man escape group swerved proper to keep away from a tree after executing an irresponsible overtaking manoeuvre on the grass verge.
Hoogerland was pressured via a barbed wire fence and suffered painful accidents which required 33 stitches. I interviewed Johnny on that Tour, after the incident and while he was sore, his morale was good, he completed the Tour and had a profitable post-Tour criterium marketing campaign together with a win on the well-known Acht van Chaam.
Johnny Hoogerland profitable the Acht van Chaam in 2011 forward of Fränk Schleck
What’s much less well-known is that in February of 2013 while coaching close to Benidorm in Spain he suffered one other crash the place he broke 5 ribs, 4 vertebrae, tore his liver and spent 4 days within the intensive care unit of a Spanish hospital. It was two weeks earlier than he may return to The Netherlands. Remarkably, in June of that 12 months he received The Netherlands Highway Race Championships, beating the cream of Dutch biking – Tom Dumoulin, Sebastian Langeveld, Pim Ligthart, Nike Terpstra. . . However he says that after the Spanish crash he was by no means the identical rider, we chatted to him not too long ago at his new ardour – Pension Hoogerland in Velden am Wothersee, Austria:
PEZ: You received the Junior Tour of Flanders in 2001 was that the breakthrough for you, Johnny?
Johnny Hoogerland: After all that’s a pleasant race to win however I used to be with the Rabobank junior crew so my capacity was already recognised.
With the beginner Fast-Step Davitamon Latexco crew
PEZ: Second within the u23 Paris-Roubaix in 2005, any ‘what-ifs?’
Probably not, I used to be driving for the nationwide squad and we hadn’t checked out the parcours, that didn’t assist, I felt good that day however the Russian man, Dimitry Kozonchuk was stronger than me.
PEZ: You had an amazing season in 2008 with 11 wins.
I realised that it was my final likelihood to get a full professional contract, I used to be critical about my preparation and all of it got here collectively.
Hilaire Van Der Schueren and Johnny
PEZ: The crew we most affiliate you with is Vacansoleil – old style Belgian, arduous racing, you signed in 2009 and match proper in.
When somebody presents you a professional contract, you are taking it! But it surely was a superb match sure, and our crew supervisor Hilaire Van Der Schueren gave me plenty of good recommendation as a younger professional. I don’t communicate to him day by day however I be in contact with him.
Simply earlier than ‘that’ crash
PEZ: You received The Three Days of West Flanders as a neo-pro.
Sure, I received the primary stage from Kortrijk to Bellegem after which we needed to defend my jersey for the following two phases – I realized all concerning the stress of defending a frontrunner’s jersey throughout these phases!
Patched up on the transfer
PEZ: The incident in your profession you should be uninterested in speaking about – that crash within the 2011 Tour?
No, it’s Okay, we are able to speak about it, my insurance coverage declare acquired sorted out ultimately however it took a very long time and plenty of stress to succeed in an settlement. It was unhappy, the insurance coverage firm weren’t prepared to see it from a human perspective. I by no means heard from or obtained an apology from anybody.
33 stitches
PEZ: Inform us concerning the crash you had in Benidorm, 2013.
It was a lot worse than the Tour crash, I bear in mind the date – February 03, 2013, the start of the tip of my profession. I used to be in plenty of ache and spent 4 days in intensive care, 15 days in hospital. I by no means had the identical hearth anymore, my numbers have been nonetheless good however from that point onwards I used to be at all times scared of crashing. Within the Ronde van Vlaanderen I’d completed eleventh and twelfth which aren’t so unhealthy finishes in that race – I knew I needed to be within the first 20 positions going into the Kwaremont and would struggle to be there. It’s solely the actually sturdy guys who can transfer up on that climb so I knew that I needed to be positioned on the entrance coming into it – after that crash I by no means had that struggle for place in me once more, the hearth was gone.
Dutch Nationwide champion 2013
PEZ: However you received the Nationwide Championship that 12 months, forward of Dutch Biking’s high guys?
Once I got here again after that crash I rode the Excursions of Romandie, Picardie and Belgium after which the Dauphine – and I wasn’t going effectively in any respect. Hilaire wished me to trip the Tour of Luxembourg however my crew mate, Juan Antonio Flecha mentioned to me; ‘don’t try this, come right down to my dwelling close to the Pyrenees and we’ll practice at altitude for 10 days.’ The Nationals have been on a tough, technical parcours however I by no means felt burdened in any respect and after I received it thought to myself; ‘that’s it, I’m again!’ However I rode the Tour and the Vuelta and was nothing particular in each races.
A contented win
PEZ: I learn that with hindsight you would like that maybe it’s best to have stop on the finish of 2013?
No, I didn’t suppose that, biking is your life and also you wish to hold going and attempting to get again to your previous stage.
The Huge Savio Present
PEZ: Vacansoleil folded on the finish of 2013 and also you went to Androni Giocattoli Venezuela for 2014.
That’s a interval I don’t actually wish to speak about let’s simply say it wasn’t a lot concerning the biking crew because the, ‘The Huge Savio Present.’
PEZ: Your final two seasons with Roompot however no actual outcomes?
Like I mentioned, I used to be by no means the identical after that crash in Spain.
On the assault in Liège 2009
PEZ: What was your favorite type of race?
I favored ‘heavy’ races with arduous climbs, however not mountain passes that take an hour to climb, races like San Sebastián, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour of Lombardy the place I used to be fifth in 2009.
PEZ: You rode the entire Grand Excursions, which was your private favorite?
The Vuelta, the place I used to be high 12 on GC in 2009, is my favorite. The Tour is the most important for positive and the Giro is a good looking race however the Vuelta is probably the most relaxed of the three.
Within the Vuelta the phases begin late and your time is your personal a lot sooner after the stage ends than within the Tour. Within the Tour you’re up at 07:00 am and sometimes nonetheless on the go at 11:00 pm. All that mentioned, whenever you’re a younger bike owner, the very first thing of us ask you is; ‘have you ever ridden the Tour de France?’ it’s the most important and finest identified.
Tour’13 on Ventoux
PEZ: Your ‘most interesting hour?’
That might be profitable the Dutch Nationals – I used to be very happy with that consequence.
PEZ: Some say that for those who’d ridden extra together with your head than your coronary heart then you might have win extra?
Wanting again you may at all times consider what it’s best to have performed in a different way – I used to be too focussed, too critical, I may solely maintain that for a few months however then it could skip away. I ought to have appeared for extra stability in my method.
Hoogerland horse racing
PEZ: The transition from skilled bike owner to civilian?
I’ve my spouse and two beautiful children; we sat down and we checked out what to do subsequent – we made new plans. We now have a 13 room resort now, right here in Velden am Wörthersee – some say it’s the Monaco of Austria – since January 2018 and have had no issues integrating, we’ve been made very welcome. Issues have been somewhat robust with the pandemic and financial worries in Europe however with the Covid scenario easing issues are wanting optimistic for the longer term.
So, for those who fancy some good Dutch hospitality within the scenic splendour of Austria, to not point out high quality biking chat, try: www.pensionhoogerland.com.
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