Team Saxo Bank rider Chris Anker Sørensen is hoping to use the Giro d’Italia to ride into form, saying that he will go for a stage win if he gets the necessary condition during the race.
The talented young Dane is one of nine who was confirmed today as representing the team in the Grand Tour, which begins in Amsterdam on Saturday. He will be joined by former Tour de France green jersey Baden Cooke, Anders Lund, Nicki Sørensen, Lucas Sebastian Haedo, Laurent Didier, Michael Mørkøv and the Australian Richie Porte.
The latter stunned his competitors in the Tour de Romandie when he raced to a clear win in the Tour de Romandie time trial. He ended the mountains race a solid 11th overall, two minutes and ten seconds behind Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne), and will be highly motivated in the Italian race.
Chris Anker Sørensen had originally hoped to be the team captain in the race, having shown in the past that he has the ability to develop into a very strong rider. He won the Japan Cup at the end of last season and took second in the Danish national championships behind his team-mate Matti Breschel. In 2008, aged just 23 years old, he won a stage in the Dauphiné Libéré and placed 12th in the Olympic road race. He is one of general manager Bjarne Riis’ big hopes for the future.
While he has class, it will take a while for him to settle in after his broken collarbone earlier this season. ”It was not until a few days ago that I was actually able to stand up on the bike without pain…for several weeks after the crash, I was forced to do my training on my stationary home trainer,” he said. “That does not offer the best preparation for a stage race like this.”
As a result, he is going to be patient and give himself a chance to sharpen his form, which is already a little better than he expected it would be.
“I will be spending the first week or two in Italy dusting off the shape,” he explained. “Of course, if I see the possibility for a stage win I will be out there fighting for it.
“I have been checking my watts and checking out my training buddies when we are riding fast and both indicate that my condition is not as far away as I feared. But I am going to take it day by day,” he said.
The team’s three biggest riders, Andy and Frank Schleck and Fabian Cancellara will all give the Giro a miss this time round. They are aiming to be in top shape for the Tour de France, and will have a lighter programme in the run-up to the race.
Cancellara and Andy Schleck will ride the Tour of California this month, while Frank Schleck will target his home event, the Tour of Luxembourg. He won the race last year and wants to do the double.
Sørensen is aiming to use the Giro to earn himself a place in the Tour de France team. He has been told by Bjarne Riis that if everything goes to plan, he should be able to do the race, providing important support in the mountains for the two Schleck brothers.