Russian rider believes his condition is turning around
Although he finished a distant 133rd overall in the Volta a Catalunya, 26 minutes and 19 seconds behind the overall winner Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank SunGard), Denis Menchov doesn’t appear to be panicking. He has taken positives from his participation, seeing the race as a way to build his condition as he heads towards the Giro d’Italia.
“I wasn’t 100% fit when the race started because of a flu and in such physical conditions it becomes difficult to reach the front group and keep up with the best, especially in an important race like the Catalunya,” he said.
The Geox-TMC rider was outside the top 100 stage placings on all bar one day. He lost over 13 minutes on the opening stage, placing 175, and finished two places further back the following day, dropping another minute and a half.
Stage three to Andorra brought his highest placing in the race, but the normally-strong climber finished nine minutes back in 71st place.
Menchov was doubtlessly demoralised to be so far back from the action, but realised that he could build form. “I decided to go on and finish the race, mostly because it is good training, and I managed to find my rhythm again,” he said.
The Russian got his season underway in February in the Challenge Mallorca races, and showed good form in the Volta a Murcia at the beginning of March. He was second on the stage to Alhama de Mucia, being beaten only by Contador to the finish at Alhama de Murica. He was then third in the time trial and ended up third overall, 17 seconds off the winning time of Contador.
The Geox-TMC team has been passed over for a place in the Tour de France and so the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España are big targets for Menchov and co-leader Carlos Sastre. He won the Italian race in 2009, and will be keen to see signs of improving form as his build-up continues.