How satisfied are you with the way the 2006 Tour de France has
progressed so far?
We were
hoping that we wouldn't have to do too much work at the front of the peloton.
And it's turned out that way. The second goal was to avoid crashes. We managed
that too, with the exception of Bert Grabsch who suffered minor scrapes. Looked
at that way, the first days have been good for us.
Floyd Landis (Phonak Hearing Systems - iShares). Photo copyright Ben Ross/Roadcycling.com/www.benrossphotography.com.
There are people who think that the mood in the peloton is not as
nervous as it was in previous years. Is that your impression
too?
At the Tour
de France, things are always more nervous than they are at other races. This
year as well there have already been crashes and hectic finishes. So, for my
part, I don't really see a difference compared to previous years.
There
have been a couple of crashes which also claimed big names like Valverde and
Dekker. Have you been involved in dangerous situations?
No. Some of
the crashes happened near me, but I was never right in the middle of them. I
always try to ride as close as possible to the front of the field because most
of the crashes happen in the rear part. Of course, you always need a bit luck
not to end up underneath the wheels.
How satisfied are you with the teamwork in the first
week?
It's
perfect. We are all working extremely well together. I couldn't imagine having a
better team.
The first really big highlight, the time trial, will be on
Saturday. Have you already seen the
course?
For me,
it's better to check out the course on the day of the race. So we'll get out
there early in the morning and ride the 52 km.
How would you describe the profile of the
course?
It's a
rather flat course with few curves. As far as the profile goes, it's the kind of
parcours that I like because normally I can take full advantage of my strengths
on such flat courses. Yes, I'm happy with the course and feel comfortable with
it.
What's your tactic for the
race?
I think
it's important not to start off too fast. It's better to approach it a bit
conservatively and then go for it during the final 10 km. For me, experience
shows that I'm usually successful with that tactic.
Floyd Landis (Phonak Hearing Systems - iShares). Photo copyright Ben Ross/Roadcycling.com/www.benrossphotography.com.
Let's
look at the first mountain stages next week. What are the impressions you've
gotten from training there?
The first
mountain stage already has two demanding tests, the Col de Soudet and the Col de
Marie Blanque. But I think, because the second mountain is 40 km from the finish, that
there could be a large group struggling for the
win.
And the stage that goes into Spain?
Yes, that
will be the most difficult stage ahead of the Alps. The Col de Tourmalet has a category HC and then
there are four category ones. The final part is not so steep but very long,
13 km. I
think only a small group will be fighting for the win there.
How important will the Alp stages
be?
Although
the Pyrenees will be difficult, I personally expect the race to be decided in
the Alps.
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