Leonardo Paez is one of the undisputed champions of Cross Country Mountain Bike on the international scene.
In the 2023/24 season, Lee Cougan will be riding for the Soudal team , who has chosen to fit Ursus wheels on the MTBs of its professional athletes.
From his season victories to his coaching changes, the challenges he faced during races, and his feedback on carbon wheels for racing bikes for Ursus: here's our interview with Leonardo Paez.
I: You're having an intense season with many satisfactions: your eighth Hero Südtirol Dolomites, the Alpentour, the Superbike delle Dolomiti, the World Cup, etc.
How does a champion train for such a physically demanding MTB season?
Leonardo Paez: "Yes, it was an intense season, full of great victories. It was also full of difficult days, but I love cycling. I still have a lot of fun, and that motivates me to overcome every obstacle and achieve my goals.
My training has changed a bit this year, in the sense that I've changed coaches, and this has been very important for me to find a balance, have more confidence, and be more motivated to train and enjoy my bike rides.
I go to the gym, do intense training, and work on technique and long runs on mountain bikes and the road. I watch my diet and try to get plenty of rest every day. We adjust our training load based on the race season and try not to rush too much so we can be at our best for the big races.
I: Competition also tests you mentally.
What challenges did you face?
Leonardo Paez: "Yes, competitions always present great challenges, and this year I've faced races where concentration was very important. Races can change for better or worse, and we have to be prepared at all times.
In the second round of the XCM World Cup, I had physical problems and almost retired, but I didn't give up. In fact, I challenged myself to get my body through the race. At the XCM World Championships in Scotland, it was another challenge, as I had a chance of winning a medal. Unfortunately, an unexpected fall caused the string on my shoe's boa to break: because of this, I lost a lot of time and tried to finish the race as best I could.
I was also very unlucky in the last World Cup race. I had mechanical problems caused by too much mud. I wanted to give up, but I didn't, and that put me on the third step of the overall podium.
The mind counts a lot, I'm lucky to have special people around me who motivate me and believe in me."
I: With the Soudal Lee Cougan team you chose some top quality Ursus products for the competitions.
What is your feedback on the Diablo MTB wheels?
Leonardo Paez: “Yes, we always look for the best for our competitions, and with the Ursus Diablo wheels, I've found the perfect balance between smoothness, stiffness, and resistance to racing stress. It's very important to me to be able to trust such a high-performance product.”
I: And what about the Magnus HX.01 handlebar?
Leonardo Paez: “I had never used an integrated handlebar before, and I immediately felt very comfortable with it. It's stiff, and I feel like I can ride my Lee Cougan wherever I want: I love having such a strong, comfortable grip.”
I: How much does having a high-performance bike and high-quality wheels and accessories matter during a race?
Leonardo Paez: "It's very important to have a high-performance bike, given that competitions are tougher now and the athletes are at an increasingly high level. Every little detail makes a difference, and having high-quality materials is fundamental in my opinion."
Ursus: High-quality MTB wheels and handlebars, Made in Italy
Paez and the Soudal Lee Cougan team choose Ursus accessories for mountain biking:
- Ursus MTB Diablo carbon wheels ;
- Ursus Magnus HX.01 integrated handlebars with stem angle up to -30°C.
All Ursus products are the result of careful design, constant testing and improvement, thanks to the collaboration between our internal R&D team and the feedback of professional athletes and teams who choose our mountain bike accessories.
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