The Vuelta a Espana kicks off with a team time trial. We have gathered a series of quotes from the key contenders.
Chris Froome (Team Sky): "The time trial course is tricky. It's quite technical with a lot of corners. It's going to be tough. It's undulating as well, there not much flat at all. It's a difficult one to pace the team. You have to finish with five guys. We have yet to decide who are going to be the last five riders to get the best possible result."
Tejay Van Garderen (BMC): "We win almost every TTT we're starting. Anything short of a victory will be a disappointment for us. Yes, I could take the jersey if I cross the line first which we'll see.We 're not focusing on who is crossing the line first, we're just focusing on trying to have everybody up there on the podium. If we win the stage, we will have a jersey to defend. It will be exciting. We have me and SIlvan (Dillier) as the big motors, the time trial specialists. Sanchez always goes good. Gilbert and Jean-Pierre (Drucker) are the quick guys that can get us quick off the start and into the corners. It takes a pretty dynamic team to win a time trial. We have the team we need."
Jose Luis Arrieta (Movistar team director): “It’s a discipline in which we have often done well and taken some time off our opponents. It’s not very predictable but we have worked hard on it,”
Sean Yates (Tinkoff team director): "It would be unrealistic and unreasonable to say we're going to try and win the team time trial. We won't come last either. The goal is to limit the damage and lose as little time as we can. It's a long team time trial but it's a fast one. It could be pretty tight."
Neil Stephens (Orica-GreenEdge team director): "We're not thinking about winning the team time trial but to do our best to limit the gaps with the best teams. Which doesn't mean we can't win it. There are solid specialists in our team like Svein Tuft, Damien Howson or Sam Bewley."
Jean-Pierre Heynderickx (Dimension Data team director): "After an unbelievable Tour de France (five wins while we expected two), we would love to win a stage in a really hard Vuelta. for the GC, we have Igor Anton, Merhawi Kudus and Jacques Janse van Rensburg and so we must ride a good team time trial. Tyler Farrar has a lot of experience and we have good time trial riders like Jaco Venter et Nathan Haas. We want to be in the top 10."
Maxime Bouet (Etixx-Quick Step): "The team time trial is an effort I like. I also came to Etixx-Quick Step to discover a great time trial team. We start every one of those TT's to win them. We were unlucky in the Tour of Burgos when we lost by three seconds after two gross mistakes. Here we have a great team that can go for victory. It's a rather fast course, without too many difficulties, and it should suit a team with powerful guys. Without Tony Martin, it's still possible to win. With him, it's simply easier because he takes the turns of three guys at once and it's a great relief for his team-mates. The most important thing is for the top two or three riders to keep a steady pace. But we know how to do it."
Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana): "It's the first race day, we're looking for the best possible result. We're here with a good team for this time trial but I don't know if it will be enough to win it. We're here to win a stage and we're going to try hard. I'm no longer a young guy discovering the race and I'm going to try to bring my experience. Miguel (Angel) Lopez has a lot to learn. It's important to help him get in the best position without putting pressure on him."
Warren Barguil (Giant Alpecin): "We don't really have a team for the time trial. So we're going to take it easy I think. When I say easy, I'm not saying we're not going to try hard. Such an effort in such a big race is never easy."
Bingen Fernandez (Cannondale-Drapac tram director): "The team time trial has been complicated for us in recent years because we've been very unlucky. Today, the goal is to do well. Jonathan Vaughters loves team time trials and it has remained in the spirit of the team. We don't have the same specialists as in the past (Millar, Vandevelde, Wiggins, Hushovd, Farrar) but this Vuelta is about the mountains and we could not bring a team solely for the the TTT. We have a good team and we're going to go for it full gas."
Haimar Zubeldia (Trek-Segafredo): "A team time trial is never easy, especially on this type of course. There is not an inch of flat in Galicia. You must be careful to remain as compact as possible otherwise you lose riders and time. We don't have the best team for this type of efforts but we're going to do it as hard as we can. It's already an important moment to start a Grand Tour. I'm trying to bring my experience. It's my job all year round. When I was young, the older guys taught me and now it's my turn."
29.03: La Route Adélie de VItré |
30.03: The Bueng Si Fai |
30.03: Gran Premio Miguel Indurain |
30.03: Volta Limburg Classic |
31.03: Ronde van Vlaanderen |
31.03: Ronde van Vlaanderen |
29.03 - 01.04: Ster van Zuid Limburg |
01.04: Gran Premio del Perdono |
01.04: Giro del Belvedere |
01.04: Ronde de Mouscron |
Jesus VILLEGAS 27 years | today |
Medhi FAHRIDI KOVIJ 47 years | today |
Simon NUBER 33 years | today |
Muhamad Nur FATONI 32 years | today |
Sebastien CARABIN 35 years | today |
© CyclingQuotes.com