Tirreno - Adriatico
Stage 7 - What Can I Do?????????

Today I had a most frustrating day.  I made it through to the final laps, even after yesterday's traumatic effort!  The idea from the team meeting was to have the team ride at the front with Mario's team to give me more of a right to his wheel and therefore get me in a better position to sprint from. I knew from the other day, and last year, that I can mix it with the best. I just have to have a good position to start the sprint from and I know that I can be right up there.

As we entered into the last lap,  I started to look around for my team to help me line up for the final.  I couldn't see any of my team-mates anywhere and wondered, although not surprised, where they were.  I battled on.  I had to give it a go.  I didn't suffer through yesterday for nothing and I wasn't going to let the absence of my team-mates stop me from trying (albeit the mongrel in me won yet again!).

With three kms to go, I was positioned terribly and tried to battle for wheels.  I moved up, got pushed back, moved up, and got pushed back time and time again.  On one last ditch effort, I moved up and tried to get in again and ended up about ten riders back.  With less then a 1km to go, I knew I was still too far back.  If I was to have any show, I'd have to go early. At 250m from the line I stepped out.  I was coming up fast and feeling powerful.  As I got within striking distance, the front four guys jumped off their lead-out wheels and opened up.  This was the way the positions remained - except for Friere sneaking past Mario who put his arms up too early... I finished 5th.

I was frustrated and pissed off.  If only I had the team support needed to contend the sprint in earnest. I've decided I just have to console myself with the fact that I know what I could've done.  How the result could've been.  I'm there with the best and as long as I keep trying, it will happen.  I think these things only intensify the burning desire.  Now I want it even more.  I really want to show them.

Julian

Read more about what Julian gets up to in the peloton on his Web site at http://www.juliandean.co.nz/