Lance Armstrong Interview Part 2 - Full video

For those who missed part two of Oprah's interview with Lance Armstrong, here is your chance to watch it:

And if you want the full transcript of the interview, click here.

Exclusive Interview - Thomas Löfkvist (IAM Cycling)

Thomas Löfkvist.

Thomas Löfkvist has had an awful year on the bike in 2012 where everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Now the Swedish rider, based in Switzerland, hopes that 2013 will bring more luck as he is set to lead out the new Swiss IAM Cycling team. 

Thomas, first of all, congratulation with the new contract with IAM. What made you pick IAM over the other teams interested in you?

Thanks a lot. My choice of IAM was something that evolved. I was in Geneva a couple of times to talk with the management. The important factor, which made me pick IAM in the end, was the way they wanted to build up the team and the enthusiasm Mr. Thetaz showed for the project.

You’ve just been at the first team camp in Geneva. How was your first impression of the team and your new team mates?

Yes, we were five days in Geneva to meet the team administration, to get our new bikes, new clothes and to spend some time getting to know each other. Last Friday we had a Christmas dinner with the whole IAM SA. I think it’s a great group of people and I went home with a very good “gut-feeling”.

How is IAM Cycling different from your previous teams?

IAM have a whole new structure meaning we are starting from scratch without any preconceived ideas about how things should be done. I was really surprised how open minded they are. That is especially thanks to Kjell Carlström who has brought many new ideas to the table.

Do you already know your race schedule for next year?

Well, I have received a preliminary schedule that will be focused on the one-week stage races and I’m very happy with that.

I guess Tour de Suisse and Tour de Romandie will be the two biggest goals for the team next year?

No doubts about that. With a Swiss sponsor Tour de Suisse and Romandie will be the team’s two main goals and that goes for me too. I have ambitions of showing off the IAM colors successfully in those races!

Which other races are you aiming at next year?

First of all the two Swiss stages races but also Tirreno-Adriatico in the spring. After that we will have to wait and plan the rest of the year.

What about this season? Is it best just to forget it or can you take anything positive with you from 2012?

I rather just forget this damn year. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong.  I managed to time my peak perfectly for Tour de Suisse [Löfkvist’s big goal of this season], but that got ruined by my knee injury. Then I came back strong in the end of the season, but got hold up behind the big crash at the World Champions and in Emilia I was in the winning group when my derailleur broke. There is really nothing positive I can take with me from this year.

Looking at the future. IAM Cycling are hoping to do the Tour within a few years. Will that be with you as their team leader?

Well, my ambition of doing Top10 in a GC is still there, so I will keep on trying every time I can.

Last one. Since it’s Christmas and everything, what is your biggest wish for 2013?

A problem free year on the bike!

Exclusive Interview - Gianni Savio (Team Manager, Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela)

Gianni Savio.

Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela managed to win the Italian Team Championship for the second year in a row and by that secure a spot in next year’s Giro d’Italia. All in all Gianni Savio’s team won 17 races this season so naturally the Italian team manager was very satisfied with how 2012 turned out.

Gianni, first of all congratulations on winning the championship.

Thank you! It was very important to us. First of all because it’s an honor to win the Italian Championship and secondly because we now have a wild card for the Giro d’Italia next year. It’s good that we can start the next season without any stress.

I take it you are quite satisfied with this season?
Indeed! I’m very, very satisfied with this year and to be honest it will be more than difficult to repeat it next year. But of course we will try. We always have the same passion and determination, but... It will not be easy to do as well as this year.

What has been the best moment for the team this year?

I would like you point out three moments. The first one is the Giro d’Italia stage we won with Miguel Angel Rubiano. It was a fantastic day and he was even virtual maglia rosa in the last kilometer. The second moment was when Franco Pellizotti won the Italian Championship. We signed him in May just before the Giro after he had come back from a very difficult time and for him to win the Italian Champions was unbelievable, not only for his career but also for himself as a person. The last one was in Giro dell'Emilia where we secured the Italian Team Championship. There was a ‘sporting war’ going on between Androni and Colnago and luckily for us Pellizotti [ending 3^rd] managed to keep Pozzovivo [ending 4^th] behind him. Don’t forget that if Pozzovivo had won this race, Colnago would have won the Championship!

What about the worst moment of the season?

Hmm… Maybe the beginning of Giro di Padania. Colnago won the TTT and the day after Modolo won a stage. It really didn’t look good for our team [thinking of the Italian Championship], but we managed to finish in a very strong way. We showed a lot of character and determination by putting two riders [Chiarini & Pellizotti] on the final podium behind Nibali.

Looking ahead. How do you see your team next year?

I think we still have a very competitive team. We managed to keep most of our important riders, so next year we will be able to count on Pellizotti, Sella, Felline, Chiarini and Rubiano. I think we have a good team. Furthermore I have signed some very promising young riders such as Matteo Di Serafino and Diego Rosa who is an incredible climber. I would have liked to keep both Ferrari, Serpa and De Marchi but they all got some very good offers from the ProTour teams and with our budget we simply couldn’t match that. My philosophy has always been to be able to pay everybody on the team; riders, mechanics, soigneurs etc. etc. and therefore we couldn’t afford to keep those riders.

And a quick comment about Rujano?

Well… This year Rujano did nothing. Nothing at all. He didn’t finish the Giro and generally he didn’t do well this season. Not only on a sporting level but also on a moral level. 

In the past you have been the only manager able to get results from Rujano. Do you think he will succeed at Vacansoleil-DCM?
It’s impossible to say if he will manage to do well with his new team. Rujano is a very special person with a mind of his own and only - only, only, only - Rujano knows what Rujano will be able to do.

You have one the brightest talents in Fabio Felline on your team. What can we expect from him in 2013?

Felline is still very young and it’s important not to put any pressure on him. That being said, I still think he will have a very good season next year and I think he will be a protagonist in the classics and in the Giro d’Italia. There are many good stages for him in the Giro. In the U23 World Champions he was one of the favorites, but I don’t think the Italian team rode like a team. When I give directions to my riders before a race everybody knows their role, but in the U23 race the Italian team seemed confused. Felline was alone in the final and he had already spent too much energy on attacking. I think that with another strategy it could have turned out differently for him.

Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela just had their first team meeting of the season in Rivarolo Canavese where they were presented with the prize of winning the Italian Team Championship. The team will get together again in the middle of December [9-16] before starting the new season in Argentina with Tour de San Luis.

Even though 2012 has been a huge success for the team, Gianni Savio hasn’t given up on the idea of joining the world’s elite and upgrade to the UCI WorldTour. You can read all about this by clicking here.

Interview - Vuelta Update with Laura Meseguer

Laura Meseguer, Eurosport. Vuelta 2012.

With less than a week left of this year’s Vuelta España it’s now time for an update from the center of the race. Laura Meseguer follows the Vuelta circus everyday in her job as interviewer for Spanish Eurosport and to get a view from behind the lines I made the following interview with Laura on the second rest day of the race.

Laura. We are now already at the second rest day of the Vuelta. How will you describe the first two weeks?
I think it’s been a good show for everyone! The favorites are strong and they all show a very competitive personality which are giving us one of the most equal races this year. That being said we have also seen John Degenkolb taking four impressive stage wins and by that giving his team some good headlines which are very important for a team like his that wants to be on the World Tour.

Which rider has impressed you the most so far?
It’s impossible just to mention one. I will say all the four favorites - inclusive Froome - because of their strength, aggressiveness, consistency and the show they have given the fans. And all the riders fighting for Top10 who have to cope with the demanding pace set by the favorites. Also the whole Argos-Shimano team for the incredible strength they have shown to obtain all their good results in this Vuelta. After Stage 13 [where Argos-Shimano tried to bring back the break alone but failed by very little, edt.] many riders in the peloton were impressed by their work and Degenkolb himself said he saw it as a victory.

In your new job as interviewer for Eurosport you have a finger on the pulse of the peloton. What do the riders think of the race so far?
They enjoy it and they all agree that the favorites are giving us a good show. Of course they say it’s a very hard race, but compared to other times where you hear more complaints from the riders, they really seem to be enjoying this one.

Laura Meseguer & Alberto Contador.

And being behind the red tape of the race, do you have any good stories to tell?
Well, I can’t really think of any right now, but some of the Argos-Shimano riders told me that Pablo Lastras had come to their team bus after stage 13 to congratulate them on their hard work. Degenkolb said  he was thrilled that a cycling icon like Lastras had come to congratulate the team.

It’s now set to be a fight between Purito and Contador for the overall win. Talking with both riders almost every day, who do you see as the strongest before the last week?
I see a Purito more focus than ever and only the victory counts for him. All his victories this year, the leader’s jerseys he has been wearing and the fact he has improved his time trial skills and in the high mountains, it all gives him an immense security. Alberto is back again and he expects to win. He looks relaxed and he is giving everything he has. Still I sense some insecurity or weakness from him, even though he doesn’t let it show.

So, in your opinion, do we see a weaker Contador than earlier or just a stronger Purito than ever?
Both. It’s only normal that Alberto isn’t at the same level he was at in the Giro last year. It’s still Alberto though and everybody shows the same respect and fear as always. I think he is more or less as strong as before. Right now Purito is very, very strong and it’s clear to everybody that it will be difficult to take this Vuelta away from him.

Looking ahead, what do you think we can expect of the last week?
Uff…I don’t know, but I think we will see some drama on a stage where we didn’t expect it! It’s a feeling I have. I don’t think Bola del Mundo will make big differences in the classification though, but I’m sure the favorites will be very alert at all time the rest of the week.

Laura Meseguer & Miguel Indurain.

Bola del Mundo will be spectacular though. Do you think it will be as spectacular as Mirador de Ezaro or Cuitunigru?
Sure! And I think Alberto still have some attacks left in the tank. He won’t quit without trying again and again!

And the million Dollar question. Who will win this Vuelta?
Purito!

Okay. Last one. I’m sure the riders are enjoying this rest day after three hard days in the mountains, but what about you?
To be honest, the rest day is pure agony! I just thought about  it earlier; working in TV means that we are covering more or less the same amount of kilometers as the riders are. We always have to stay alert, check our watches and make sure to send in our images on time. It’s stressful and I’ve been running around a lot! I will certainly end this Vuelta España in very good shape!

Exclusive Interview - Gianni Savio (Team Manager, Androni)

Gianni Savio and his Androni team have very
high expectations for this year's Giro d'Italia.

The Androni team have high hopes for their team leader in the Giro d’Italia, José Rujano, and according to team manager Gianni Savio the little Venezuelan isn’t the only rider with good chances of success. I made the following interview with Gianni Savio about his team’s ambitions in the Italian Grand Tour.

“First of all we want to be protagonists. We hope to get a rider on the podium. José Rujano was already on the podium back in 2005 and I hope he can be there this year too. He is our team leader, but we have also two other riders who can do something big in this race, José Serpa and Emanuelle Sella. Also we have a good sprinter in Roberto Ferrari and a great young rider in Fabio Felline. All in all we have a good compact team and I think we will be protagonists in this Giro”.

What about the team classification, is that a goal too?
For sure! We hope to be on the podium as winners of the team classification. That is a goal for us. Last year we were second in the team points classification and this year I hope we can be on the podium for the time classification.

How is Rujano coming into this Giro compared to last year?
I think that he is a little bit better this time actually. He has prepared very well for this Giro. He was second in Langkawi where we won with Serpa and after that he did well in Italy, in Giro del Trentino, so I think he is ready. Plus he is also a rider who is able to increase his condition during the Giro, which is very important for the last week. 

Can he win this Giro?
There is no doubts that Rujano has the possibility to win the Giro but with him nothing is certain. For sure I hope he will win, but we will have to wait and see.

How about Roberto Ferrari, what do you expect from in this Giro?
Ferrari had some stomach problems when he started the season in Tour de San Luis and withdrew. After that he began very well [1 stage win and 3 second places in Tour de Taiwan] and he has now three wins this season. He is a good sprinter, for sure, but it is not easy for him, because here you have riders like Cavendish, Hushovd etc, so it won’t be easy to win. To be realistic, I would say he can do top3 or top5 in the mass sprints.

And Fabio Felline?
Well, I think there have been some mistakes in Felline’s race programs in the past. For me he was too young to participate in the Tour de France for example. The way I see it, it wasn’t good for him. Felline is from my town where I live [Torino] and I always explain to his many fans that it’s important not to put too much pressure on him. He needs to progress gradually. But for sure I hope that he will win a stage in this Giro. 
There are many stages that suit him very well.

Who is your favorite for the overall victory?
Personally I would be very happy if Michele Scarponi wins this Giro. He used to be one of my riders. I signed him back when nobody wanted to touch him [after Operación Puerto] and with us he won three stages in the Giro, he got 4th overall in the Giro, he won Tirreno-Adriatico and suddenly all the teams wanted to sign him. Actually he called me after Giro dell'Appennino where he was in the breakaway. At one point it looked like the breakaway could make it to the finish so I put the whole team in front to catch him and we won with Felline. Afterwards he called me and said he was very happy for us winning the race, even though it meant we had to catch him first. We have a good relationship and I would be happy if he wins the Giro.

Who else do you think will be up there?
Ivan Basso looks good, Roman Kreuziger too. Purito and Pozzovivo will also be there together with Fränk Schleck who I think will do a great Giro. There is not a superman this year and because of that I think we will get a very open and very interesting Giro this time.

Androni brings a team full of climbers. Is the mountain jersey also a goal for you?
Well, we will see. It’s not our first goal. It will depend on how the race goes but for sure we will try to get it if it’s possible. First of all we aim for a stage win and then afterwards we will see if we can also go for the mountain jersey too.

Do you have any specific stages red-circled already?
No. I think the most important stage will be the one to Stelvio [Stage 20] but in cycling nothing is certain. We all may think that Stelvio will be the key, but then maybe in Cervinia [Stage 14] everything changes. Remember two years ago in L'Aquila [The stage where a big breakaway with Carlos Sastre & David Arroyo among others got away with 12 minutes to the peloton]? What many forget is that it was Androni who back then saved the Giro! I personally stopped three riders of my riders in the breakaway to get back to the peloton where we started to chase, chase and chase. If we hadn’t done that, the Giro would have ended on that stage and Arroyo would have won overall.

As Giro Expert during the race Gianni Savio will give a preview of each stage and his winner pick for all the stages in this year’s Giro d’Italia. You will find Savio’s latest preview on the front page and can see all of them by clicking here.

This interview was made before José Serpa broke a finger on his right hand on Stage 2 and before Roberto Ferrari caused Mark Cavendish to crash on Stage 3.

Giro Interview - Gustav Erik Larsson

Gustav Erik Larsson at his best on the
time trial bike on his way to glory.

Giro Interview – Gustav Erik Larsson (Rider, Vacansoleil-DCM) For four years Gustav Erik Larsson was a part of the Danish Team Saxo Bank but when one of the biggest races in the world, Giro d’Italia, actually starts out in Denmark, Larsson finds himself in the colors of the Dutch Vacansoleil-DCM team.

I made the following interview with the strong Swede on Thursday evening before the team rushed off to dinner.

Gustav, how is it not being a part of the Danish team when the Giro starts in Denmark?
To be honest I haven’t actually thought about it before now, but it is kind of strange thinking about it. I used to ride with Bjarne Riis’ team, now we are in his city and I’m not a part of the team anymore.

But you are happy with your change of teams?
Yes it’s been a great start for me with the win in Paris-Nice. Last year was a very bad year for me. I had a pretty awful winter and that’s why I didn’t do better in the first part of the season. But before that I think I have had three really good years with Saxo Bank and now I hope I can come back and show what I’m worth.

So what are your ambitions for the Giro this time?
I’m going for the overall classification actually. I will try to hang on for as long as possible on the climbs and the two time trials are very good for me. I aim for a spot in the Top10 but we will have to see how the legs respond first. I don’t think it’s possible to gain back very much time [in the time trials] so it’s important not to get dropped in the mountains.

How do you feel compared to 2008 when you ended 14th in the GC?
It was my first season with Riis and I was in very, very good shape. I think I can do it again.

First we have the prologue on Saturday. What do you think you can do there?
It’s always difficult to say. There are a lot of riders who are not time trial specialists but still able do to a very good prologue. I mean it’s only 8,7 km. Of course I would like to win it like I did in Paris-Nice but it won’t be easy. It would have been good for me if there had been a little hill or something to make it more tough, but I think it’s an okay route. The only thing is that it’s actually rather late on the day so it will be a little bit chilly outside.

What about the team time trial?
Well, if you look at the individual riders we have some very strong time trialists, but the problem is that we haven’t trained together. Still I think it can be fine for us if we just get the tactic straight and everybody moves around like they are supposed to when it counts on the roads.

Do you fear any of the stages in this year’s Giro?
On the first stage in Denmark we are going to ride alongside the sea so I hope it won’t be chaos. Anything can really happen on that stage, especially if it’s windy as well. We have to pay attention and be prepared. 

Let’s end with talking about the GC favorites. Who is your pick?
Hmm. Ivan Basso is always a strong contender, but I don’t know if he is ready yet. If he is though, then I think he will win it. I doubt it will be one of the pure climbers, but then again there are some very tough climbs on the menu, so you never know. We will see what happens.

Interview - Thomas Löfkvist (Team Sky)

Thomas Löfkvist, Team Sky

Thomas Löfkvist is no stranger for readers of this site. During the Tour de France last summer he was one of the 4 expert tipsters and this isn’t the first C-Cycling interview with him either. Let’s get started.

Thomas, first of all, how would you describe your season so far? 
All together I think it has been fine. The feeling on the bike has definitely been a lot better than the last two years.

After getting sick during Tirreno-Adriatico, you did very well in Criterium International getting 8th in the GC.
Tirreno was one of my big goals this season, so it was a big disappointment for me to get sick there. I really came to the race in good shape. Criterium International wasn’t really a planned goal for me, but I was still in good shape and the course really suited me.

So what is your next big aim of the season?
First I will do the Ardennes Classics and then Tour de Suisse, which is a big goal for me.

In 2010 you ended 16th overall in the Tour de France. Do you feel you still have the chance to improve that result or don’t you focus on the GC in the Tour anymore with Bradley Wiggins on the team?
On a personal level I would like to do Top10 in the Tour and I also think I have the capacity to do so. In 2012 it will be difficult since the team hopes to take both the Green [Cavendish] and the Yellow [Wiggins] jersey. That means I will be working in front on the flat parts and in the mountains, so it will be very difficult to get a good result for myself.

Do you still feel you get enough chances to prove yourself? 
We have a lot of strong riders this year, but I still get my chances. I had Tirreno-Adriatico earlier and Tour de Suisse next where I can go for a result. I like being with Team Sky, but my contract ends after this season, so we will see what happens.

Does that put any extra pressure on you to perform better this season? 
Well, the pressure is always there, but this year it’s a lot more important for my future.

You had some of your best years the last time you rode with Mark Cavendish. Now you two are back together. Did you miss him?
I have been missing him. Mark is a great guy to have on the team. He spreads a lot of positive energy and he is very nice to work with. Plus, when you work for him it often leads to victory, which brings good momentum to the team.

Another interesting rider on the team is Norwegian Lars-Petter Nordhaug. You know him well. How far do you think he can go? 
Yes I have known Lars-Petter since the junior years when we were battling each other on Mountainbikes in the forest. Lars-Petter is a huge talent who should be able to make it to the top. I think he can do well in the three week stage races, but he needs a little bit more experience first.

Last summer you became a father for the first time. How did that change your life? Does it make it more difficult being so much away from home?
To get a kid was a big thing. Life really gets a new meaning when you’re not only responsible for yourself. Sometimes it can be difficult to be away, but with Skype it works out fine. Now and then I find myself smiling on bike when I think about him. It really motivates me.

Looking ahead. Your next races are going to be the Ardennes Classics. Will you get your own chance there?
I will get my shot at Fleche Wallone. I did well there in 2009 (6th place) and I would like to top that. It’s been many years since I did Amstel, so we will see what happens. In Liege it’s all about who has the best legs, so I hope mine will be good!

Interview - Laura Meseguer (cycling journalist)

Laura Meseguer.

The last couple of months this site has been getting a lot of visitors searching for "Laura Meseguer" on Google and other search engines. It seems like Laura is everywhere these days, so to sum what is happening, I made the following interview with her today.

Laura, first of all. For those people who have been sleeping the last couple of months, can you just quickly tell who you are?
Sure. I'm a Spanish cycling journalist who works for the magazine Pedalier Pro. I also work for the cycling micro site of Festina and for the cycling tourist race Mallorca 312. This is my 5th year working with cycling and I’m still learning everyday.

You seem to be everywhere these days. What is happening?
I don't know! I'm just doing my job behind the computer and at the races. A Belgian cycling magazine, CycloSprint, showed interest in interview with me a few weeks ago and of course I agreed to do that. I'm a bit surprised about it, because I really don't think my life can be interesting for an interview like that, but I feel very pleased with the attention.

Laura Meseguer (right) in the studio for Giro d'Italia
broadcasting last year for Spanish television.

Last year you were on Spanish TV, co-commentating one of the Giro d'Italia stages. Do you think that started this whole thing?
I don't think so. I think that the social networks are responsible for connecting persons all over the world. Especially the communicators. The truth is that when I write or tweet something I don't truly realize the amount of people who is reading it. In these years of social networking you are much more aware of how many people actually read your stuff and the response is almost immediately which makes it more demanding. It amazes me to see how many people that read what I write and it makes me more responsible as a journalist.

If we look at some of your work. In your opinion what is the best interview you have done so far?
I learned a lot when I interviewed Jens Voigt recently. It will be in the next edition of Pedalier Pro. I enjoyed that interview very much. Voigt is a great person and I took many of the things he said as an learning experience. I can't reveal much since it's not published yet, but I can say that I learned a lot of ‘sayings’ talking with Voigt.

To be honest, I enjoy all that I write for Pedalier Pro. It is a magazine where my way of writing and my view on cycling unite perfectly. To mention one article, I like the one I wrote about the Track Cycling World Champions; "Reyes de la Pista, príncipes de la carretera" [Kings of the track, princes of the road]. Another one is "El show debe continuar?" [The show must continue?]. It was a piece I wrote for my personal blog and I got a lot of positive feedback on that one. Of course, first of all, I write to inform, no to please, but I was very touched by the riders commenting on the article with such kind words.

The cover of CycloSprint.

As you said, Belgian cycling magazine, CycloSprint, made a big interview with you this month. Did you expect it to be on the front cover with Fabian Cancellara?
Never! I think Fabian Cancellera deserves to be there a lot more than me. If you ask me, I don't think that the any journalist should be on the front cover.

Recently you even found an article about yourself in the Belgian newspapers Net Nieuwsblad, you are famous now...
That was a surprise. I really didn't expect that! I was a little scared about it, also because I don't understand the language. Though, my Belgian colleagues have told me that the article was positive and respectful and didn't lack a sense of humor, so I can only be grateful.

The article about Laura in
Net Nieuwsblad recently.

How have the feedback been the last couple of months? 
It's always positive, which is the most important for me. Still, I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. I have spent many years preparing to be a good journalist or communicator. I don't want to be a part of what is very popular in Spain these years with "young female sport journalists". I think I started to work with cycling a long time before this new fashion. I want to be professional in my way of working and I don't want to be anywhere thanks to anything but that.

So what do you tell those who compare you to Sara Carbonero [TV-reporter and girl friend of Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas]?
That is exactly what I'm referring to. I don't think the two of us have anything in common at all. I think she made a mistake of converting herself into a product on an TV-station who really knows how to "sell products". It’s problem when you act like a product and still want to be taking serious as a journalist. I don't feel I belong on TV but if so it should be on a serious network that doesn't sell the women as entertainment products but as the real reporters we are.

Do you have any plans of doing TV in the near future?
Not right now, but you never know what will happen in the future. For example I never thought I would end up working with cycling either! In any case it would be something serious in the area of reporting or interviewing, which I like to do so much.

So what is next? Where are we going to see Laura Meseguer pop up next time?
I'll be at some stages of Vuelta a Castilla y León then Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Mallorca312 and maybe Giro d' Italia. After that I'll have a break and rest, like the riders, before I'll start again with the Tour de France, Vuelta a Burgos, Vuelta a España and the World Champions. I don't know about the Olympics yet. We will see.

In case you didn't do it already, you can follow Laura Meseguer on Twitter via @Laura_Meseguer

Entrevista - Mikel Nieve (Rider, Euskaltel-Euskadi)

Mikel, enhorabuena por la impresionante temporada. ¿Como la describirias?
Ha sido una temporada muy buena tanto para el equipo como para mi. Hemos conseguido ganar en las tres grandes vueltas y la gente joven ha dado un pasito más. Para un equipo con nuestra filosofía, ganar en Arrate, Zoncolan, Gardeccia, Luz Ardiden y Bilbao es maravilloso. Individualmente, estoy muy satisfecho porque pienso que he dado un paso más como ciclistas. Ganar en Gardeccia fue especial, fue un etapón tremendo y la alegría fue increible. He sido muy regular toda la temporada, acabé 11º el Giro y 10º la Vuelta. Pienso que esa regularidad y el triunfo en Gardeccia son un gran balance.

¿Cual ha sido el mejor recuerdo de la temporada?
A nivel individual, el mejor recuerdo es la victoria en Gardeccia. Después de que Igor ganase en Zoncolan, repetir al día siguiente fue espectacular. Fue un Giro durísimo y aquel día sufrí lo impensable. Pero conseguí la victoria y conforme pasa el tiempo, lo valoro más.

Undécimo en la clasificación general en el Giro y décimo en la Vuelta, cuál de las dos ha sido la mejor experiencia?
Las dos experiencias han sido bonitas. El recorrido del Giro fue más exigente que el de la Vuelta. La última semana del Giro estuve enfermo y se me escapó el top ten. Me fastidió un poco, pero ya no queda vuelta de hoja. En cuanto a la Vuelta, llegué con la misión de ayudar a Igor a disputar la general de la Vuelta y luego tuve que disputarla yo. Tuve que cambiar mi papel y al final conseguimos entrar en el top ten. La etapa de Ancares fue clave, el ataque que hicimos como equipo me metió en la pelea por el top ten y finalmente conseguimos entrar. Estoy satisfecho de ambas clasificaciones porque son dos de las mejores carreras del mundo y en ambas estuve competitivo.

Igor Antón éra el gran favorito para ganar la Vuelta, pero no tuvo piernas en las primeras dos semanas. ¿Tuvo que ser un comienzo muy duro para el equipo?
Fue dificil para el equipo, por supuesto, pero de estas situaciones hay que aprender, no estar lamentándose de lo que pudo haber sido y no fue. Me quedo con que el equipo no se vino abajo y seguimo trabajando, cambiamos los objetivos y la mentalización en marcha, algo que es muy dificil, y logramos tanto acabar entre los 10 primeros de la general como ganar una etapa, encima la de Bilbao. Me quedo con que ante las adversidades, aún nos unimos más y le dimos la vuelta a la tortilla.

El año pasado ganaste una etapa en la Vuelta y este año otra etapa en el Giro. Para el año que viene ¿una etapa en el Tour?
Si fuese por mi, lo firmaba. Trato de mejorar cada temporada, poco a poco. Tengo unas características determinadas y tengo que aprovecharlas. Ganar en Cotobello fue espectacular, y Gardeccia no fue menos. Pronto tendremos una concentración y se empezarán a definir los puntos calientes de la temporada 2012. Si el año que viene voy al Tour, mi papel será el de apoyar a nuestro líder, Samuel Sánchez. Ha sido cuarto y sexto en la general, ha ganado en Luz Ardiden, la montaña del Tour… Si voy a Francia, la misión será estar junto a Samuel en la montaña y aprender. Eso sí, si surge la oportunidad, no frenaré. Es muy difícil, pero hay que estar preparado.

¿Sabes ya cuáles de las grandes vueltas vas a correr en 2012?
En la cocnentración que hagamos a finales de noviembre se hablará de ese tema.

¿Y cuáles son tus expectativas para el año que viene?
Seguir mejorando. Será mi cuarto año en Euskaltel Euskadi y espero dar un pasito más. Si mantengo la progresión, los objetivos se irán cumpliendo.

Parece que Euskaltel va a retirar el patrocinio tras la próxima temporada. ¿Crees que habrá una presión extra sobre los corredores en 2012?
Desde el equipo nos han dicho que estemos tranquilos y que seamos tan profesionales como lo hemos sido siempre. Seguiremos entrenando con ganas y en competición nos esforzaremos al máximo, como siempre. Es algo que hacemos desde siempre, por nosotros mismos y por el equipo.

Y si el equipo no pudiese encontrar un nuevo patrocinador, ¿que significaria esto para el ciclismo vasco?
Esta pregunta aún no tiene respuesta. Confío en lo que me han dicho desde el equipo, que sigamos trabajando como siempre y los frutos ya llegarán.

Bueno, para finalizar. Tres preguntas rápidas.
¿Quien es tu mejor amigo en el equipo?
Tenemos muy buen ambiente en el equipo. Con el que más horas paso, Juanjo Oroz, es un excelente compañero y amigo.
¿Quien es el corredor más divertido del equipo?
Tenemos unos cuantos, pero con Pierre Cazaux me lo paso muy bien.
¿Y cuál es tu carrera favorita?
Giro d'Italia o Vuelta a España, ambas me han gustado.

Interview - Alexander Kristoff (Rider, BMC)

Alexander Kristoff is yet another future top rider coming out of Norway these years. His speed and characteristics gives him the perfect opportunities to become the next Norwegian top sprinter in the peloton. Coming from Joker - Bianchi to BMC this season, he will now join forces with Denis Galimzyanov at Katusha next year as a very strong and fast duo for the mass sprints.

Alexander. To start out, how will you describe your season this year?
I had an OK season. I was hoping to win some races this year and I only won 1 race (Nationals) so if you look at it that way it was not that successful. But feel I have grown as a rider since last year. I finished my first Grand Tour and got better results than last year with more top 5 results through the year.

Compared to last year, what has changed this year? Can you feel the improvement?
Generally, I feel stronger. I know a little bit more about how to work as a professional and how I can prepare myself better before the races.

In your opinion, what has been your best race this year?
It is always a good feeling to win so I have to say that my National Championship victory is the best this year. I also had a good period after my summer training with a 2nd and 3rd place in Tour de Wallonie followed by a 2nd place in Tour de Pologne.

You came very close to top3 spot on the Giro stage Gatto won, when Petacchi overtook you with a few centimeters. How will you describe your first Grand Tour experience?
It was a good experience when I look back. When I was there in the middle of all the mountains it was not very pleasant though. It was incredible hard! One day I had a total of 9 hours ride time with neutral and riding back to the bus. But I got some okay results in my first Grand Tour like that 4th place. You can always hope for more and if I had had a little bit of luck, maybe I would have ended 2nd on that stage, but that’s cycling.

When BMC announced the signing of Thor Hushovd, it only took you 10 days to announce your move to Katusha. Did the signing of Hushovd, as sprinter, have anything to do with your change of team?
No. I got the message from BMC, that I had to look for another team, right after the Giro, before I knew that Thor was coming to the team. It was nice of BMC to give me this message so early. That gave me the opportunity to start looking for other teams early on, and then it wasn’t a problem to find a new one. It would have been worse if I thought I could stay and then got the same message in September.

At BMC you were the main sprinter, but at Katusha they already have Galimzyanov. What will your role be at the Russian team?
I will have a meeting with Katusha in some days to figure out my calendar for next season. But I want to do one Grand Tour and some classics like Milano - San Remo. I will of course have to work with Galimzyanov and I look forward to help him in sprints - I think I can learn a lot from him. I also got signals from Katusha that they want to work with me as a sprinter and I will probably get my chances in other races where Galimzyanov is not racing or if he’s not in shape.

Is there a specific race on the 2012 calendar that you dream of winning?
When I was a kid I was dreaming about winning a stage in Tour de France, but to be more realistic I hope of winning more than one race next year. Maybe I can win a race like Vattenfall Classic, I have done this race 2 years now and I always felt good there. I will try to work hard this winter and be more prepared for the season opening, since I normally have a little bit of troubles getting started.

Despite only having a handful of riders in the peloton, Norway seems to produce one top sprinter after the other. What do you think the secret of this impressive tendency is?
Maybe, it’s how we are build or how we train. I am not sure, but it’s a fact that we have fast guys. This year we where 6 pro-riders and 3 of them are “sprinters” even though I have to say that Thor and Edvald are more than sprinters, they win many types of races.

Interview - Gianni Savio (Team Manager Androni Giocattoli - C.I.P.I)

After being the national coach for first Columbia (2001-2005) and then Venezuela (until last year) Gianni Savio has now decided to concentrate fully on managing his Androni Giocattoli - C.I.P.I team. A team who had a very good season starting out winning 3 stages in San Luis, 1 stage in Langkawi plus the overall win, Giro del Friuli, 2 stages plus the overall in Settimana Coppi e Bartali and then two stages in the Giro with Rujano finishing 7th in the overall classification.

The biggest signing of this year was the re-signing of José Rujano, 5 years after he quit the team during the 2006 season. Rujano never managed to get back to his former level, but with Gianni Savio he once again raised and won the big mountain stage to Grossglockner in the Giro.

Gianni, how will you describe the season for your team this year?
I think we had a very good season. We started very well. My philosophy is that it’s always very important to start out well. So we had a good preparation during the winter and we got some very good results in the first part of the season. It’s how we do, we always start out strong and then we defend our position in the second part of the season. It’s important to remember that there is an agreement between the Italian federation and the organizers of the Giro, saying that the best Italian team from the year before will get an invitation to the Giro, so that is what we are trying to obtain.

In the second part of the season there were a lot of rumors about Rujano changing team again in order to do the Vuelta. What was all that about?
No no, that was just rumors. Somebody starts talking about Rujano might want to change team to do the Vuelta, but that was never going to happen. Naturally we had no interest in letting him go, and Rujano never talk with me about it either.

Well it seems like it was the smart move for Rujano as well, since he has never managed to function in any other teams than yours…
Yes that’s true. I was the one discovering him when he was very young in a little village in the Venezuelan hills on the border to Columbia. Then he came to Italy and he had a lot of progress. We actually waited for him for 3 years to progress, without putting any pressure on him. Then he came to the Giro and he finished third. After that I think that he made some mistakes. It’s important to know that Rujano has very particular personality. I think it’s necessary to know him well, follow him and also be able to tell him “No” if it’s needed. I think that in some of the teams he went to the people around him always told him “yes, yes, yes” and made him believe he was the new God of cycling. And also, in the big teams he wasn’t being followed as well as he should have been by the team management. Somebody told him he was a champion, but the problem is that he was not a champion. He had the possibility to be one, but at that time he wasn’t a champion. Then when he came back to us and you saw what happened.

And how did you get him back?
Well, back in November last year, just when we had finished our team budget for our 16 riders, I received a phone call from Hernán Alemán [Politician, in the Venezuelan parliament] a friend of mine who is also the owner of the team Gobernación del Zulia [where Rujano was riding in the second part of the 2010 season]. He told me that he thought it was a shame that Rujano was wasting his talent only riding in Venezuela and that we should take him back to Italy to ride with the bests. I told him that I had to talk with Rujano first myself, because even though we always had a good relationship, the way we parted ways with the team wasn’t good at all. So I talked with Rujano three times and to me his mentality seemed to be changed. After that I talked with Alemán again and told him “okay” and we made a contract with Rujano for 2 years, with a significant payment increase if his results this year were good – which they turned out to be.

And next year, I suppose Rujano once again has the Giro as his big target?
Sure. He is the leader of the team and the plan for him is to prepare well for the Giro and if possible to return to podium.

About the team next year. You re-signed all of the great riders for 2011, but you still need four more riders…
Right now we have 12 riders and I think we will sign two other riders next week [this week]. One Italian rider and the other one right now is a South American. The plan is to end up with 16 riders, but our main goal was to re-sign all of our important riders first. To me it would have been crazy to lose our own riders and bring in new ones from other teams.

There was some talk about Davide Rebellin would return to your team as well…
Well, Davide was one of my riders 3 years ago and I am very sorry for how it turned out for him. It is true I have been talking with him. I tried to present him with the realism of his situation, telling him that no matter what he says then this [the positive test] is the result. So I told him to explain his situation to everybody, make a press release to let the Media know what happened. It’s not good the way he did. You can’t just disappear…

Is there any chance of seeing Davide back at Androni?
I talked with Davide and I told him that if he, right now, came forward and explained his situation and what exactly had happened, there was a possibility [to sign a contract with Androni]. But as the things are right now, it’s not possible.

Did you also fear that bringing Davide back to the team would jeopardize the chances of an invitation for the Giro?
No, that has never been in my consideration. Also the anti doping policy is very strict. UCI works very, very well against doping with the biologic passport which makes it possible for me to follow my riders. In the past that wasn’t possible. I live in Turin and I have riders all over the world, one in Florence Italy, one in Bogota Columbia, one in Caracas in Venezuela and what can I do? How I am supposed to follow every one of them? It was impossible.

What about a rider like Emmanuelle Sella. Do you think he can return to his former level?
Well, to be honest. For him to return to the same level as in 2008, I think it is very, very difficult [read between the lines…]. But he is good rider and I think he will return to a very good position again. Not to win three mountain stages, the jersey and end 5 in the GC, but sure he can return and do great things.

And does Sella know this? Because I read an interview with him before the Giro, when he was talking about aiming for the podium already…
He knows. This season was important for Sella in his way back and to prepare himself for next year as well. I think that he will make a lot better results next season, even though his year wasn’t bad for him at all. The problem with Sella is his mentality. He is very fragile. In the Giro he was too nervous all the time and for that reason he couldn’t make any better results than he did, but I hope it will be better next year.

Roberto Ferrari made a name for himself this season, what can we expect of him next year?
Roberto is a very good rider, but he was stopped by mononucleosis. He managed to finish the Giro, probably the only sprinter who did so, and then afterwards he found out he had mononucleosis. Something he had had since the third week of the race. So after the Giro he stopped and now he is preparing for the next season. He is a good sprinter and even though I hope he can beat Cavendish, I must also be realistic. We have to keep our feet on the ground. We will see…