Samu talks of THAT win

After his win in the ITT in the Vuelta al País Vasco yesterday, Samu Sánchez talked to www.fundacioneuskadi.com. Here`s what he had to say: "First I want to dedicate this win to the team. To Miguel, Igor, the directors, the soigneurs, my team-mates... I think this is a win for all of us. We`ve prepared for this race for a long time, we`ve made a good race, we`ve come with illusion and desire, and we`ve made an effort to win, something we achieved on the last day. This makes all the suffering worth it. We started out in Urretxu with the intension of winning the whole race, and we`ve shown that every day. The balance is positive, because the attitude, enthusiasm and effort that we`ve put in to it have been amazing. The win in Oiartzun puts a finishing touch to our performance. A stage, third in the overall, the mountains jersey with Aitor Hernández, the combativity prize to Mikel Astarloza, and mainly, the image of the team that we`ve shown, is marvellous for us". Speaking of the ITT, he said: "This is the first ITT I`ve won. Last year I got second in a ITT in the Vuelta a España behind Vinokourov, where I lost by six seconds. On this occasion, I won with two. The profile was complicated, with narrow roads, steep ascents and descents with difficult curves. It was an unusual route. I got better and better. I started out well, and on the last ascent I gave it my all. I wasn`t sure I had won until Cobo arrived, but when he did, it meant a lot to me. Now it`s time to recover and prepare for the Ardennes classics. I like Amstel, Fleche and Liège. They suit my characteristics, and I`m in good form. Last year I got second in Fleche behind Valverde. I`ve shown that I can fight for the win, so the objective is to arrive with hunger in search for the win".