Written by redop at 15:25 22/3-2011
We are in the Netherlands with Vasco Assis for an exclusive interview with the man of the moment.
He is the new Champion of Portugal and 7th in the OCM Tour Rank.
VA, tell us about the moments prior to the beginning of the Germany Tour. Were you planing to go there and fight for the GC?
"Hi, I must admit that Germany Tour was a big surprise to all including me...
Of course I did plan to try my luck there and make a surprise, there was a reason why I was the captain of the team.
Actually that was surprising on itself. When Yamauchi arrived we were told he was to be the main climbing captain. He prepared very well for the Germany Tour, I can say he was in his top form, but then our manager decided that I was to captain the team.
Yamauchi was to be vice-captain, had full freedom do do his race but the team was to give primary support to me, and that was a huge honor for me and risk for our manager, and I did not want to let anyone down."
Indeed you didn't... 2nd place in the General Classification, 3rd in the Sprint Classification. Very far for the best from the previews given before the race.
Still some voices criticize your results, many saying you should be out of top 20 for the GC. How do you react to that?
"We all know that many riders want to be as good as me, get as many results as me... and many teams want to be as good as redop.
I'm used to that kind of behavior and it does not affect me at all. In Monte Rosa after my GC victory the same thing happened. A lot of people told that I was lucky, I would never have a result even close to that one... they even accused me of cheating to try and steal my glory, but the truth is that I was the winner because I prepared harder and gave my best to get the result I wanted, when others couldn't do the same. The 2nd place in Germany was even more tasty for me because of what people said after Monte Rosa!"
But this season's Germany Tour is full of controversy, because of the strike that delayed the end of the tour and that is still delaying many races all over the world.
You are one of the riders that gave the face in favor of the strike, and one of the riders that first started it by refusing to start the last stage of Germany Tour. What was the motive that made the riders worldwide enter a strike?
"The reasons have been there for a long time, and we just could not take it anymore...
In the Germany Tour Stage 1, Gregory Levis suffered a collision with a photographer and hit the ground loosing conscience for some time... He had to be taken to the hospital immediately because he clearly had no conditions to keep racing...
Not only he had to finish that stage, he was forced to race the entire Tour! That's 10 stages, passing through the hardest climbs, hills... you name it!
He was not the only one though. On stage 4 my teammate Guálter Alcântara also got injured, and also was forced by the race organizers to race the following stages... and many other riders had a similar faith.
We could not let it happen for any longer, we have rights and we stand for them!"
Wasn't there any other reason behind the strike you gave voice to? some of your critics say that all this strike was plotted by you as a means to rest a bit after a very busy season. According to my calculations you've crossed the finishing line 53 times already in the 80 days of this season... that's over a race each day and a half. Isn't that a bit too much?
"I want to race as much as possible. If I'm feeling fit, I want to race. As a captain as I just raced in Germany or in support of another rider as I'm doing now in Nederlandse for Tuero, I always want to race and give my best for the team. Actually I'm planning to cross the finishing line 60 times this season... it must be a new record!
Now if you ask me if the strike was in a good time, I must admit it was! I was tired, gave everything in the climbs of Germany and needed to rest a little... I did enjoy having some extra time to prepare for Stage 10, where I ended being 2nd and securing the 3rd spot in the SC. Unfortunately for me Vitaliy Bayer defended his lead very well with a 4th place, and it was impossible for me to recover the 5 seconds lead he had... If the strike had started just before stage 9, the extra rest could be a key for me to hold the 1 second I had, but it didn't... don't take me wrong, I wanted the strike to start much earlier! right after Levis's injury at stage 1 and even more after Alcântara's injury at stage 4! so it seems once again just an excuse from my enemies to explain my fantastic performance at Germany.
The strike I support is for the benefit of all cyclists, and we'll keep our protest by delaying races until our demands are fulfilled."
Very well, thank you VA for giving this interview and I wish you all the luck.
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