An interview with Andy Flickinger

After four years with the same team and seemingly written off, Andy Flickinger has found a new lease of life at Bouygues Telecom, with the past winner of GP Plouay believing 2006 to be his lucky year. Story by Anthony Tan.

He may only be in his mid-twenties, but Andy Flickinger is already entering his eighth year as a professional. Catching up with him a day before his first race of the year, the Tour de Langkawi, one's presented with a casual response when approached for an interview. "When you want," is all he says.

I tentatively say 'now?', he nods, and as we walk over to a quiet area of the hotel lobby at the Concorde Shah Alam, a stone's throw away from this mosque of gigantic proportions and where prayer is in full swing, I first make note of his 1.93 metres, where two of my steps appear to go in time with one of his casual plods. But not wishing to offend a Frenchman, asking how comfortable he is with his height, I begin the conversation talking about his crowning moment, victory in the 2003 GP de Plouay.

"Yeah, three years ago," confirms Flickinger. "After that, I had one year that was very difficult in 2004, and last year, I wanted to be strong in the Tour de France but I couldn't do it. I won one race [a stage of the Circuit de la Sarthe - ed.], did the world championships on the track, and after, I began preparing for this year."

Click here for the full interview.