"We're climbers, not rouleurs"

Like just about everyone else, Egoi Martínez is painfully aware of the fact that Euskaltel will struggle in the team time trial in the Tour. In a bid to minimize their losses, the team spent almost three hours riding tempo together yesterday. The super-domestique hopes sessions like these might pay dividends come race day. "Unity and cohesion can save us", he told DEIA. "The other teams are more skilled in the discipline than we are. But it's not really a question of being familiar or not with the discipline. It's simple: we're not as strong against the clock individually as riders on other teams. We're a team of climbers". Personally I don't think the TTT will turn out too badly to be honest. It's only 23 kilometres long, and after all riders like Samu, Verdugo, Martínez himself and Gorka Izagirre know a thing or two about how to ride a good time trial. There's no need to worry I'd say. Mark my words: Euskaltel will end up 14th at 1:21. That wouldn't be too bad, would it?