Iban`s press-conference

Iban answered questions from the journalists today at the press-conference in Tignes. Read on to find out what Iban`s got in store for us the coming weeks. (from Saunier Duval`s homepage):

• What have been the differences between this edition of the Tour and the previous ones?

With regard to training, there haven´t been many. I just tried to do things right so that I was in good shape when I came here. Perhaps I didn´t feel the pressure this time. Taking into account how things had turned out to be in the past few years, I had nothing to lose. My victory at the Giro d´Italia boosted my morale, and some days before this Tour I noticed that I was OK. But you´re never sure until you hit the road and face a race like yesterday´s. Since the early stages, I´ve feeling all right. However, it´s only when you measure yourself up against the big guns that you can tell whether you´re really in good shape or not.

• After the bad outcome of recent years in the Tour, did yesterday´s second taste like victory?

Well, I´m satisfied with the way in which the stage unfolded. After Rasmussen, who had opened a large gap, I was the first to cross the finish line, and I really enjoyed that moment. Being in the spotlight during the Tour, as I had been in the past, was one of my greatest ambitions, and my dream has now come true. The original goal was scoring a win, but once I realised it wouldn´t be possible, I chose to reach the highest spot I could. Will I go for the GC? Well, I´m not obsessed with it, and I´m not saying this to shake the pressure off my shoulders, because I don´t really feel like that this year. Quite the contrary: I´m having a great time. This Tour is different because there is no clear leader so far. which means that any rider feeling well and confident can make it. So yes, in this sense, I am ambitious. The only thing I need is not having any physical problems, because if I´m fine, then I feel fully confident. But experience has taught me what the Tour is like. Anybody can have a bad day in France.

• How did you find the favourites yesterday? Could tomorrow be the right day to rule Vinokourov out?

Yesterday´s final pass was tough but not useful to make a selection. Besides, we were running into the wind, and this helped balance forces. Perhaps I expected Sastre or Menchov to be part of the leading bunch, but the rest were all there -Moreau, Valverde, Contador. These are the big names. As for Vinokourov, it´s quite obvious that he has to be left behind tomorrow, because then there´s the time-trial for him to make up for losses. He has shown what a great rider he is, so you can never think his chances are over. We could have ruled him out yesterday, but then each rider minded his own business.