Podium Insight | A Lot at Play This Year for David Veilleux

Podium Insight speaks with KBS' David Veilleux regarding the 2010 season and his plans for the future.

Despite breaking his collarbone at the beginning of 2009, David Veilleux of the Kelly Benefit Strategies squad had a great season on his last year as a U23 rider. He won the the U23 Canadian Time Trial National Championships for the fourth time, soloed to victory at the Presbyterian Invitational in Charlotte and won the sprint competition at the Tour of Utah.

His goals for this year are set, they include the Amgen Tour of California, followed by the Philadelphia International Championship, the Canadian National Championships and the two Pro Tour races held in Quebec. But the future is a bit murkier.

“I don’t know.” replied the 22-year old when asked where he sees himself in three to five years.

“I think that a lot will be at play this year. With the quality of the races that we’re doing, I’ll see how the year unfolds and after that I will make a decision. Either I go for it one hundred percent, I’d like to go to the London Olympics in 2012. To be able to do that I have to increase the competition level to be selected. Or I bring school to the front burner.”

Veilleux is studying for his Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering at L’Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal.

“There will be a lot of changes but I will wait and see what happens.” he continued. “I hope to have a good season, do my best and after that, make a decision on what I want to do. I always sacrificed both a bit, but I think I’ll see at the end of the year.”

He feels that he would have to race in Europe in order to be selected for the Summer Olympic Games. “It doesn’t mean that I will leave the team at the end of the year, if the team becomes Pro Continental…. I don’t know, we’ll see how it unfolds. Nothing is decided.”

The combination of school and racing has impacted his graduation date for a typically four-year degree.

“It took me a year and a half to do the first year. Right now, I’m going on a six year, that is without stopping. I don’t know, I will see how it goes.” said Veilleux who is currently only taking 2 classes. “Last semester, I had five, I had a lot to do with missing three weeks because of the World Championships and the Tour of Missouri, that put a lot of pressure on the final exams but it came out fine.”

“I prefer to continue slowly, it’s interesting.” said Veilleux about school. “Of course, if I had doubts I would have stopped school years ago. Sometimes, it’s difficult but when I am at school, I’m happy to be there, I like what I’m doing and that’s a good sign.”

Head over to PodiumInsight.com to read the rest of the interview.