When Elise Chaby (Canyon-SRAM) runs a stage race, there is a good chance she will wear polka dots at some point during the race.

This 30-year-old Swiss climber entered the cycling world relatively late after graduating from medical school, but has won the women's Tour in 2021 and 2022, the Ituria women's in 2022, the KOM class win at this year's Tour de Suisse, and many other top finishes in other races, Over the past few years, he has amassed a collection of mountain jerseys.

However, as Shabby revealed in an interview with Cycling News before the Tour de France Women's Avec Zwift, the mountains jersey is not a special goal for her.

"I think it's the way I race and attack. I like to attack at the top of climbs. I also like to go into the downhills because I like the downhills. Sometimes I get points for the mountain jersey, but it's never been a goal in itself," Shabby said.

Nevertheless, once she puts on the jersey, Chaby won't let it go. If earning mountain points is an option that does not burden her, she will try to do so, but her main goal is a stage win or a top overall finish.

"Of course, it would be nice to be on the podium and wear the jersey. For example, in the Tour de Suisse, I was really happy to be on the podium every day in my home country. But as a team we always go for GC and stage wins, and the mountains jersey is a bonus."

"If you have the jersey and you know it's possible to keep it and it's not that hard to go for the points, then yes, I'm happy."

The upcoming Tour de France Femme is the highlight of the 2023 season for Chaby and her team, and they have ambitious plans for the race.

"This year's Tour will be really hard. We've done some scouting and every stage is super, super hard. I think stage wins and GC will be almost the same. We haven't had any meetings yet, so we don't know exactly what the strategy will be each day, but overall the team is pretty strong with different types of riders.

"I think we can race hard every day. Our goal is to win a stage, and last year Cassia Niewiadoma was third overall. Last year, Kasia Nieuwdoma was third overall. She has shown that she can be among the best and I think she can be again this year, and if we can get on the podium in GC, it would be a great result for the team," he explained, adding that Nieuwadema will probably be the team's GC leader.

Asked about her personal ambitions, Xavi made it clear what would be high on her list: "I think a stage win would be better. I think a stage win would be better.

In her career so far, Chavvy has won the Berner Lundfahrt, a non-UCI race in Switzerland in 2019, won the Swiss Championships in 2020, won the first stage of the Tour de Suisse in 2021, and won the mixed relay world championship in 2022 with the Swiss national team She has also won the Tour de Suisse in 2020 and the Tour de Suisse in 2021. However, she has a string of top finishes in both stage races and classics. A stage win at the Tour de France Femme would be a further step up or even the mountains jersey.

"In the Tour, the mountains jersey is really a goal for a lot of people and everyone wants to be on the podium. We saw Demi Volering win the mountains jersey last year, and it's something that really strong riders win," he said, noting that Chaby has strong competition if he wants to take the polka-dot jersey.

Nevertheless, the profile of the early stages around Clermont-Ferrand lends itself to an attack for the mountains jersey.

"Without a doubt, the strongest rider in the bunch will take the mountains jersey. I want to be aggressive and aim for the stage," said Chubby, who promised to give his all from the start of the race with his team.