In negotiations with Rabobank and others, would consider a Katusha offer
Although he had a low-key performance in the Criterium du Dauphiné, where he lost 9’27 on Alpe d’Huez and finished 25th overall, Denis Menchov has dismissed any possible speculation that he is behind in his preparations for the Tour de France.
“Everything is more or less according to plan,” he said, according to Tuttobici. “Together with the team we decided to follow a program of quality racing in order to reach the ideal condition for the Tour. It meant not having the goal of winning at all costs in different races. Nevertheless, I remember that I still finished second in the overall in the Vuelta de Murcia, ninth overall in the Vuelta Catalonia, despite an allergy, and second in the Tour de Romandie.”
He’s had some complications, but feels he has recovered fine. “I dropped out in the first kilometers of the Tour of Belgium because of the effects of a strong case of bronchitis, but in the Criterium du Dauphiné I already felt good in both the time trials and the climbs.”
Since the Daupiné he has continued to work on his condition, spending time at altitude, while team-mate Robert Gesink was ramping up his own form by racing the Tour de Suisse. The Dutch climber won the toughest stage to La Punt, breaking clear on the final mountain and dropping all the other race contenders. He led the race until the final day, when he dropped to fifth in the general classification in the final time trial.
The two riders will be a good double-whammy on the Tour, and will also have team-mate Oscar Freire as another who has the ability to chase stage wins. He will be the team’s focus on the flatter stages, while everyone will row in behind Menchov and Gesink in the mountains.
The Russian won a stage in the 2006 Tour and has placed fourth and fifth overall in the race. His greatest Grand Tour success has come outside France; he has won two Vueltas a España, and took the Giro d’Italia title last year.
Looking to his plans beyond this season, the Russian suggests that he is open to the chance of staying with his current team. However he said that he’s also not ruling out a move to a squad like Katusha, which was rumoured – incorrectly, it seems – to have already made him an offer.
“For several months we have been in negotiations with the Rabobank team,” he said. “I have been here six years and I would like to extend the contract. For the rest, I confirm that more or less every international team without a leader for stage races were heard, [although] paradoxically neither I nor anyone of my staff have received an offer from Team Katusha.
“However, if that s proves true, I’ll allow myself to assess it calmly. In the past two years, they have shown a high level of management. It is a team with strong Russian majority, but it must recognize that it is logical to try to fill some gaps they have in the Grand Tours.”