The Québécoise has enjoyed a great year as world champion with excellent performances in the Ardennes and at the Giro and the Tour. She would love nothing more than to win worlds again at home in Canada, but knows that all she can do is race her very best.

We sat down with her to hear about her season so far, her thoughts about the championships in Montréal, and what it has meant to her to wear the rainbow jersey.

Do you think the worlds course suits you?

I think it's a great course – the kind where every lap everyone gets a bit more fatigued, and it makes a selection. Normally that suits me: when the race is hard and people are tired and the group gets smaller and smaller. The climb is quite short, so it's more punchy, which I usually like. And the atmosphere is going to be awesome.

How does it feel to be back in Québec?

Super good. I got some time at home with my family, which was nice – I didn't get to see them much this year, and it had been a year since I came back. I was also able to train with my coach, which doesn't usually happen, so it's really nice to have that day-to-day contact and adapt to how I'm feeling. And just seeing my people – my family, my friends, the whole cycling community here – it's been super special.

Is there anything you have access to here that's a nice little plus – maple syrup, that kind of thing?

It's funny, I feel like everything here tastes a bit better somehow. All the ingredients are slightly different, and to my taste they're better. I've been enjoying the little things I don't normally get in Europe – cottage cheese, I find it better here; we have more types of spices, which makes everything taste better. And the corn is so much better here. It's the season right now for corn on the cob, so I've been having some good corn.

How are you feeling physically going into the race?

Physically I'm feeling good. It's been a long season, but this was the race I was looking forward to the most – being at home and defending the title. So I'm super excited. A bit nervous, because it's a big buildup, but mostly excited.

And mentally – do you feel ready? How do you think you'll feel on the start line?

I'll be really excited to get it started. It's been building, and I feel like it's time now to race. I've got a lot of fire in me for it, because it's at home and I know so many people will be cheering – and it's a special race. It's worlds, and I'm coming to defend.

How have the last few weeks been – busy, stressful?

A bit busy, a bit stressful, but also super nice. I feel very grateful that I get to train and get ready here. We've taken a slightly more conservative approach this year, because it's been a longer season, and we just want to make sure I'm ready to fire on Saturday.

What will make worlds a success for you?

Being patient, and having the team around me. We have such a strong team this year, and a few cards we can play. So just being there for each other and having that chemistry all together – I think that'll be the key on Saturday.

What outcome would you be happy with?

It's hard to beat last year, to be honest. Winning would be the absolute dream again, at home – the best scenario. But if I'm there in the final, going for it, playing for the win, I'll be really happy.

What do you think the fans are going to be like?

It's going to be wild. My friends made T-shirts with my face on them – we bought 100 of them for family and friends, and that's just from my hometown, and from my mom's side. So yeah, it's going to be wild.

It feels like a nice moment for Canadian cycling – you defending, the race here at home. Does it feel important for Canada to host this?

It's so important. When I was younger, if I'd been able to watch the worlds at home, it would have inspired me so much. I could watch the Grand Prix, and that was already a big inspiration – but watching the worlds, all the categories: I can already imagine the young kids watching. I hope we can put stars in their eyes and get them inspired to ride their bikes.

It's been an exciting, very different year. What are some things you're proud of?

Winning worlds was a big step, and since then I've gone from riding more as a domestique to being more of a leader. That was a big change, and I'm proud of how I switched roles – and that I can switch between the two. I'm also proud that I didn't fall into thinking, "OK, now I've won, now I need to win everything." That's where I want to go, for sure, but I'm taking it step by step, and the team helped me do that rather than pushing me to win everything straight away. I'm proud of the steps I've taken this year, and that I can still be there for the girls when I need to be.

Were there any pinch-me moments – things you can hardly believe happened?

Every day, when I put on the jersey, I still don't really believe it, and it's been almost a whole year. It's still super crazy. Every time I go to a race and they announce my name at the presentation and I hear the crowd, I think, "oh yeah – that's crazy." So really, every day has been a pinch-me moment.

You'll carry the rainbow stripes for the rest of your career. Does that make you think differently about yourself?

It's something I've worked on a lot since winning – believing more in myself. Knowing I'll have the bands for my whole career is insane, but it also made me believe that anything is kind of possible – not just for me, but for the team. I think we can achieve pretty much everything we want. It's a reminder every day that I'll have the bands. And if it's not this year, maybe another year I can win it again. I know now that it's possible, so – just a lot more belief.

Is there anything weird or unexpected you've enjoyed about being world champion?

Everything's been quite special, to be honest. Everyone makes you feel special – in the end I'm the same person, but people somehow treat you as if you're a bit more special with this jersey, or try to make it a good time for you while you have it. Everyone's always like, "go to the front line on the start line," so now I always start on the front line – and everyone tells me, "no, no, go in the middle," and I always end up a bit off to the side. It's been quite special this year.

People agree you've stayed very much the same person. Are there parts of this where you've been able to be more yourself – more of a voice, the racer or teammate you want to be?

Coming back to believing in myself – I've been able to believe more even when I'm playing the role I had last year. Say my job is the lead-out and the finish, like in Australia: I believe I'll be there and do the best lead-out I can for you. Things like that, I just believe I can do it a bit more. And the girls listen to me a bit more than maybe they did in the past. I just want to give them the belief I've found in myself – I want them all to believe in themselves and in the team. Having that voice is what I aim for.

A lot of good comes with the jersey. Has anything about it been a challenge?

For sure. Some moments I've found quite hard – there's more attention, and more things you need to do beyond just riding, which was a big change compared to last year. It took me a while to adapt, because having a lot of attention around me isn't really in my nature.

It's almost like you sometimes have to play a role – the world champion. How do you deal with that?

I never really see myself as the world champion, so I just stay myself. I've got better at being myself and not being stressed all the time about interviews and things. I just talk as if I'm talking with someone I know, so it's been getting easier and easier.

You've clearly gotten better at interviews, too – you've had a lot of practice in a short time.

I've had a lot of practice. It's funny – I was talking to a journalist from my hometown recently and he said, "wow, you've really improved since the first interview I did with you – you actually talk a bit more now." I used to just say yes, no, yes, no, and they'd really try to push me to say something and not much would come out. So yeah, I've improved a bit. I try to see it as: how can I make a good impact on the next generation, or on people? That's how I try to get energy from it rather than have it drain my energy.

Has being world champion made you more confident in other parts of your life, or mainly in your racing?

In my day-to-day life I'd say I didn't change much – I'm really the same; I don't feel much more confident generally. But maybe I push myself a bit more than I used to, mostly around younger riders: if I think I can say something that might help them, I'll push myself to go and do it rather than being shy and thinking, "oh, I probably don't know what I'm talking about." I've been pushing myself a bit more in that area.

Winning worlds is the top goal for almost everyone in the sport, and you've done it. What goals do you have left?

I want to win a stage of a grand tour – one stage of every grand tour would be nice. And I want to win one of the Ardennes classics. That would be the dream. And maybe do it again – win worlds again. They call it the curse of the rainbow jersey, that first year, and I think I managed it in a good way this year – it wasn't so much of a curse; I enjoyed it as much as I could. But I can see that if it happens again, you'd deal with it even better. So winning it again would be the biggest thing.

Last year you won as an underdog. Winning again wouldn't be as an underdog – it'd be a very different win. Have you thought about that?

No one saw it coming last year, including me. So for sure the riders and the peloton see me differently now, and I see myself differently. This year I've been a favorite for a lot of races, either because I had the jersey or because I'd been racing in the finals a lot. It's been super different. But I do think the way I won last year is the best way to win – I took a risk and it paid off. It wasn't just about being the strongest; it was about being the strongest and the smartest on that day. Looking back, I don't think I could have won it in a better way.

Have you raced in a similar smart-plus-strong style throughout the year?

It's been a bit more challenging to race that aggressively, because now, as soon as I stand up, I don't get let go so easily. It's a bit different – I have to be there at the hardest moment and then go. So I've been racing a bit differently, but I want to get back to racing the way I did at worlds. I think that's the nicest way, and the last couple of races we've done a bit of that, just being aggressive.

Your race-day mantra – do you have it decided for Saturday?

It'll be the same as last year: full commitment, no regrets. The "no regrets" is the one I'll really have turning in my head the whole race – whatever the day brings, whatever legs I have, whatever scenario happens, I want to give it my all and have no regrets when I cross the line.

What's it like seeing people again – old friends and mentors – and getting to share your success with them?

It's always special. It's funny – we made a film and went to watch it in my hometown, and my coach from the high school sports program was there, telling old stories about training me back then. We were doing crazy stuff, riding in minus-20-degree weather, with him following me in the car while I was just enjoying my life out there. It just feels special to see each other again and chat about old times.

What would make this trip home a success, even setting worlds aside?

It's already been a success. I got to meet so much of the cycling community – some people I hadn't met, and a lot of people who helped me get where I am. It feels very full circle. And hopefully I can make them proud on Saturday – that would be a big success.