Samu set to skip Tour

Despite placing 7th or 6th, who knows, at this year's Tour de France, Samu is prepared to take a pass at the 2009 edition of the race, he told Spanish newspaper La Opinion this weekend. "In principle, I won't do the Tour next year", he said. "I'm instead going to focus on the Vuelta a España, the Vuelta al País Vasco and the Wordls. It bothers me that I won't be going to the Tour, but I'm trying to do what's best for me and for the team. Last year I was in the top 6, and I believe if it wasn't for my bad day at the Tourmalet I could have fought for a place on the podium. Four years ago I wouldn't believe that if someone had told me." Speaking of the Vuelta, he said: "I've already been third overall in the Vuelta, so my goal is now to win the whole thing. Hopefully I'll be at the start of the Worlds with just as good form as I had in Beijing this year. But the Worlds, in Mendrisio, will be very hard". I know many of you will probably disagree, but I like the fact that he'll skip the Tour. I don't believe the Tour really suits Samu's way of riding, so I think he's doing the right thing.