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Breschel confident for Paris-Tours

By Susan Westemeyer

published 9 October 2010

Dane looking for success after second in Melbourne and third in Paris-Bourges

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Matti Breschel (Denmark) on the podium with his silver medal.(Image credit: Sirotti)

Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil), Anthony Ravard (AG2R) and Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank) on the podium at Paris-Bourges.(Image credit: AFP Photo)

Podium (L-R): Matti Breschel (Denmark), Thor Hushovd (Norway) and Allan Davis (Australia).(Image credit: Mark Gunter)

Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank)(Image credit: Sonja Csury)

Matti Breschel must be immune to jet lag. The Saxo Bank rider only got back from Australia on Tuesday night but still managed to finish third in Paris-Bourges on Thursday. And he is now aiming to do even better in Paris-Tours on Sunday.

Breschel signs for Rabobank

Worlds: Breschel almost beats the best

The Dane, who will ride for Rabobank in 2011, took the silver medal in the Worlds road race in Melbourne. It was his second time on the world championships podium, having also finished third in 2008. He is the first Danish rider to win two medals.

Thursday's race was not easy for him after traveling so far and for so long but he felt better and better as the race went on.

“I actually felt totally knackered and I was really close to dropping out along the way,” he told the Danish website Feltet.dk. “But when we came to the feeding zone, I got some food and a cola, and then I started really looking forward to the climbs. There I tried a few times to liven things up a bit, then I started really getting better and better."

He felt better enough, in fact, that he took off in an escape group with about 100 km to go. That was too dangerous a move and the peloton reacted, although the group was only caught with 20 km to go. That gave Breschel time to rest up for the final sprint.

"I was sitting really far back in the peloton with 500 meters to go. But then I was on the wheel of a rider who opened his sprint 300 meters out, which was perfect. I didn't have enough to take the win, though.”

The Dane's season still isn't over. And Sunday's Paris-Tours is another chance to take a end of year result. He believes Paris-Bourges was excellent preparation for Paris-Tours, which he believes he can win.