Giampaolo Cheula of Barloworld won the Peace Race last weekend, only his fourth pro win and his first since 2002. "I am very happy," he said. "That is the best result of my career. I came here to win. And as everything went so well in the middle of the race, I noted that I could do it, because I was very self-confident and had a super team behind me." Was the sorry to have ridden the Peace Race instead of the Giro d'Italia? "No, because I wouldn't have had any chance at the Giro. I wouldn't even win a stage there. I'm too small, my body wouldn't help me there. But it looks better in the Tour de France. I could win a stage there. It is my dream to ride there."
Cheula, who turns 27 today, said that he was positively impressed by the Peace Race, which he rode for the first time, and by the fans. "Germany has the best fans that there are. They respect the riders. Unfortunately the weather was bad the whole time. Almost always rain, a strong wind, I don't like that at all. At my home in Italy it was 30 degrees!"
