A legend of the sport, the veteran sprinter has achieved success that is within reach of virtually no rider. He is long past his peak but his move into Soudal - Quick-Step saw him back to a great level, but one that has not been seen yet since joining the Kazakh team. He has insisted that neither he or the team has put much pressure on his shoulders, and he explains the reasons behind his
Tirreno-Adriatico participation.
"I got sick after the UAE Tour, and I had a low week in terms of training because I had to recover. I was going well, and I really wanted to perform here in Tirreno, and at Milano-Torino and Milan-San Remo, but now I’ve got to use Tirreno to get my form back up," he explains. "We’ll see, but it seems like Giro and Tour are in my plans, so we’ll make a big summer."
Having performed in the crosswinds and finished third on the opening stage of the UAE Tour saw him having competitive rhythm. He has not yet been able to contest another stage victory but is looking to regain his winning ways this spring. He's struggled to be in contention on the opening sprint at Tirreno-Adriatico where he's looking to build his top form.
"For sure, it’s not going to change my life, but as long as I can still be a professional bike rider and win, I want to be a professional bike rider. And when you’re a professional bike rider, you need goals, and you need motivation. Of course, I want to try and win every race, but the Tour was always where I peaked every year. I’m not going there to win one more, I’m going there to try to win as much as I can," he continued.
The Tour of Turkey is another likely destination for the Manxman ahead of the Giro d'Italia where he is likely to be present for the opening weeks. In 2022 he won the opening sprint of the race and he's hoping to have the best possible leadout in order to chase another glory day.
"All I can do is count myself lucky that I was a rider who was able to get another job. A lot of riders, a lot of staff members, a lot of people were left without work, and that makes me sad. All I can do is count myself lucky that I could come to a place where I’m happy," he concluded.
