[Rather than designating a leader before the race starts, Phonak is adopting a 'wait and see' policy.] We have a couple of guys that are very good right now, ... I think that Santos Gonzalez is good, Gutierrez is good and...Oscar [Pereiro], I don't know how motivated he is, but he looks fit. I don't think we are going to pick one person and say that we will work for them. There are other teams to control the race, just like the Tour. Discovery are here, and I think Roberto [Heras] wants to win, so I would expect that they will work. But the Vuelta is different, anyway, you have to be careful with the wind and so it is more a case that we have to stay together. |
As far as I can tell everything went perfect. I don't know if this race would have been possible a few years ago. Obviously Lance brought a lot of fans to cycling, and hopefully we can keep them here. |
But Paris-Nice is becoming a bit of an American race and I'm very proud to add my name to the winners' list of such a prestigious event. |
I didn't know what other riders' times were, so at the end I was a little bit surprised. But the guys at the front were the guys I expected to be at the front, so we'll go forward from here. |
I haven't done any reconnaissance like the Tour, but I looked at the maps...Anyway, it is a case that if you're strong enough in the mountains, you can win the Vuelta. If not, you get dropped! There are seven mountaintop finishes, or something like that. So your strength is the most important thing. As for the time trials, I think the prologue is a bit short. But the last two are better for me. |
I knew I had good legs after my victory in the Tour of California but to take the jersey so early in the race comes as a bit of a surprise. I will do my utmost to keep the jersey now for it is very important for the team and the sponsor. |
I was fortunate to win the time trial (on Wednesday) and then I just tried to maintain the race lead. |
I'm Floyd, as you know. My fitness is good. |
I'm going to sleep first. And then I will work on a strategy and a preparation for the big race in July. |
It's gone quite well. I've done three races, and won two of them. I won the Tour of California in February, and then I also won the Paris-Nice a week after the Tour California. |
Lance is more relaxed. But it's a long race. |
My technique in time trials is to start a little slower. I've made the mistake in the past of starting too hard and losing a bit at the end. So in my way of thinking it's better to save something for the end. |
The course looks similar to last year. The time trial day (on Thursday), and I'm good at time trials, and then the climb on Saturday, those two days will decide the race. I should be OK. |
The Tour (de France) is my main objective. I will do the Giro, two weeks after the (Ford) Tour of Georgia. It will be difficult to be in the range to be as good as I was last year, but it's in America, and it means a lot to me. And it was a great race last year (in Georgia), so I intend to well. |
The way I can see it, there's no reason to waste extra energy chasing every single guy who wanted to attack. There was still a long way to go. But as we get closer to the finish, the more nervous I'm getting. |