Soufiane Haddi is nowadays in Portugal, riding the Troféu Joaquim Agostinho for the Morocco National Team. The 25 year old rider is one of the
crucial pieces of the well known Skydive Dubai-Al Ahli Club, continental team
of the United Arab Emirates with the Portuguese management of Ricardo Martins.
At the beginning of the Portuguese race, Cycling & Thoughts talked
with Soufiane Haddi about his goals for the Troféu Joaquim Agostinho and the other
races he is going to compete in this season.
“I came here
with the Team Morocco for the race in order to prepare for the Olympic Games in
Brasil. I made the season with Skydive and now I’m focused on the Olympics. After
this race I will have the National Championships in Morocco and then go to
Brasil.”
The young Haddi has already three gold medals at the ITT Morocco Championships
[2015, 2014, 2013], the last one won in 2015, the year he won the road race
too. The Morocco champion completes in the end of 2016 the third of three year
contract with the Skydive Dubai-Al Ahli Club.
“This was my
first team. I have a contract of three years with Skydive and it’s been good
for me and a good motivation. Next year I think I will do a new contract with
Skydive. Probably next year I think we’ll be Pro Continental, we’ll have more
sponsors and I’m gonna do more work. It’s going to be good for me.”
Soufiane Haddi started 2016 with a 9th place at La Tropicale
Amissa Bongo, then a 10th GC at the Dubai Tour (2.HC) where he won the
youth classification. At the Tour of Qatar (2.HC) he finished 27th GC
and 4th at the African Continental Championships at the ITT and road
race. In Italy, he rode the Settimana Coppi e Bartali with a shy 116th
place.
Now in Portugal his mind is totally focused on the Olympics. “It will be hard. This year is hard mountain,
which for me is very hard, but I’ll give my maximum”, says a confident and smiling Soufiane.
Regarding the future of Morocco cycling, Soufiane Haddi concludes the exclusive
interview for Cycling & Thoughts saying: “Now we only have a few riders of Morocco in other continental teams, we
need more. I hope my country will have continental teams that we don’t have
now. Would be good for us.”
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| Soufiane Haddi at the Troféu Joaquim Agostinho, in Portugal (photo Helena Dias) |
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