At the Tour of Guangxi last month, Alex Dowsett pinned on a racing number for the last time with Movistar. The Briton joined the Spanish squad in 2013 and after five years in the navy blue, will race in the red of Katusha-Alpecin from 2018.
While the 2017 season, the longest of his Movistar tenure, didn't provide the results and performances Dowsett anticipated, he nevertheless explained he thoroughly enjoyed his experiences.
"If we focus on this season, it was not what I hoped it to have been but if we focus on the last five-year's it's been an incredible five years in terms of what I've achieved," Dowsett told Cyclingnews in China.
ADVERTISEMENT
During his five years with Movistar, Dowsett rode just two Grand Tours: the 2013 Giro d'Italia, winning the stage 13 time trial, and the 2015 Tour de France, which he was forced to abandon with injury. Articulating his desire for more three-week racing, Dowsett's ambition for 2017 was a return to the Giro but ultimately wasn't selected. A decision he respected as he explained Movistar's rationale.
"The Giro was my first target, and because of the GC ambitions of Nairo and in the team there are some better domestiques than I am, I wasn't taken," he reflected. "For me personally, it was a disappointment. From the team's point of view, it is no problem for me with the team, it a decision with management that perhaps I would have made myself. There is no team time trial and my ability to individual time trial plays a very insignificant part when you have Nairo who can win the overall. The other eight riders need to be selected on their ability to help Nairo. Someone like Bennati does a similar job to me but a bit better. That's experience, that's Bennati being the rider he is. It is what it is."
With Katusha-Alpecin, Dowsett is looking to experience more of the Grand Tours with the team and cement his place a key rider in Marcel Kittel's lead-out train. Although, his precise roles and responsibilities will be fleshed next month at team camp.
Adapting to change
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest News http://ift.tt/2ymm3ep
No comments:
Post a Comment