Related News
2006 Tour champion Pereiro signs up for Astana
Source: Agencies |
December 10, 2009, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
FORMER Tour de France champion Oscar Pereiro has agreed to a one-year deal to ride for Astana.
The Spanish cyclist will join the Kazakh team's training camp in Pisa, Italy, today where he will be united with defending Tour champion Alberto Contador.
Pereiro, who won the 2006 Tour de France after Floyd Landis was stripped of the title due to a positive doping test, said yesterday that if the deal hadn't gone through, his only other option was retirement.
"There was some misunderstanding between all the parties," Pereiro said. "Yesterday they called and said they would go through with it."
But the agreement nearly didn't happen because Astana attempted to re-negotiate the terms of the contract one month after signing.
"There was no explanation. They didn't say anything," the 32-year-old Pereiro said. "I'm sorry for what happened, but let's move forward without any bad feelings. It was all a little strange but now I think everything will be fine."
Pereiro hasn't been the same cyclist since retiring from the 2008 Tour with injuries sustained after going over a guardrail during the 15th stage. He believes he has finally recovered from that accident and will be an asset to Alberto Contador, who is looking to defend his Tour title.
"After that fall I was out for four months and I was nervous on my return," Pereiro said. "Physically and mentally I was not fit. But I think this change of teams will bring extra motivation. I think it will be a good thing for me and for the team. I just didn't have much luck."
Pereiro believes signing with a contender would give him a chance at victory, too, but said he would not be looking to stir up any controversy. Lance Armstrong's arrival created problems for Contador this year.
"This team is built around Alberto and it's a great team," he said. "My only objective is to help the team. I want to start again from zero."
Contador, meanwhile, expects a difficult year in 2010 and said yesterday that his chances of winning a third Tour next year were limited.
"I am realistic and I know that I have a weaker team than in previous years and for that reason we'll have to work hard on motivation in training so that we know what we can achieve and how to do it," said Contador, who turned 27 on Sunday.
"I know that it will be a difficult year and it's possible I won't be able to win the Tour even if I am in good shape," he added. "People will be focusing a lot on me but my rivals know that the team I will have is not the same as before."
The Spanish cyclist will join the Kazakh team's training camp in Pisa, Italy, today where he will be united with defending Tour champion Alberto Contador.
Pereiro, who won the 2006 Tour de France after Floyd Landis was stripped of the title due to a positive doping test, said yesterday that if the deal hadn't gone through, his only other option was retirement.
"There was some misunderstanding between all the parties," Pereiro said. "Yesterday they called and said they would go through with it."
But the agreement nearly didn't happen because Astana attempted to re-negotiate the terms of the contract one month after signing.
"There was no explanation. They didn't say anything," the 32-year-old Pereiro said. "I'm sorry for what happened, but let's move forward without any bad feelings. It was all a little strange but now I think everything will be fine."
Pereiro hasn't been the same cyclist since retiring from the 2008 Tour with injuries sustained after going over a guardrail during the 15th stage. He believes he has finally recovered from that accident and will be an asset to Alberto Contador, who is looking to defend his Tour title.
"After that fall I was out for four months and I was nervous on my return," Pereiro said. "Physically and mentally I was not fit. But I think this change of teams will bring extra motivation. I think it will be a good thing for me and for the team. I just didn't have much luck."
Pereiro believes signing with a contender would give him a chance at victory, too, but said he would not be looking to stir up any controversy. Lance Armstrong's arrival created problems for Contador this year.
"This team is built around Alberto and it's a great team," he said. "My only objective is to help the team. I want to start again from zero."
Contador, meanwhile, expects a difficult year in 2010 and said yesterday that his chances of winning a third Tour next year were limited.
"I am realistic and I know that I have a weaker team than in previous years and for that reason we'll have to work hard on motivation in training so that we know what we can achieve and how to do it," said Contador, who turned 27 on Sunday.
"I know that it will be a difficult year and it's possible I won't be able to win the Tour even if I am in good shape," he added. "People will be focusing a lot on me but my rivals know that the team I will have is not the same as before."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
