Danish rider hungry for success after difficult 2011 season
Greatly frustrated by his injury-plagued 2011 season, Danish one-day specialist Matti Breschel is determined to get back on track as quickly as possible next year, and his psyched by that thought. “The goal is to win,” he told sporten.tv2.dk. “That’s what I go and train for right now anyway. It’s no secret that I miss being first over the line.”
Breschel had intended to target the 2011 Spring Classics but hardly raced due to a lingering knee problem. He had surgery in March and while that rectified the problem, he still missed the Tour de France. He showed solid form in the Tour of Denmark, netting second on two stages, and went to the Vuelta a España aiming for a stage win and to get into the shape needed to win the world road race championships on home soil in Denmark.
However he crashed hard in the neutralised section of the sixth stage, breaking two fingers, and missed out on his end of season targets as a result.
Saying that he fully believes that he is ready to take big victories, he explains what is necessary next year. “To begin with, I certainly must not have knee injuries,” he said. “You must have luck on the day, and preparations must be perfect. You must be free of illness and not rush in early races.”
Twice a medallist in the world road race championships, Breschel is a strong sprinter and also a rider who can handle tough courses. Both attributes could lead to success in the spring Classics, and he’s focussing on those first.
“I’ll take the season in small pieces,” he said, explaining that he didn’t want to look too far ahead initially. “Right now, I am thinking mostly about racing in Flanders and Milan-San Remo.”