The 2011 Astana team kit, modeled by Alexander Vinokourov(Image credit: Team Astana)
Alan Davis (Astana)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Allan Davis has targeted Milan San Remo as his first major goal for the 2011 season but confirmed to Cyclingnews that the Australian nationals and the Tour Down Under would also be on his radar as he aims to carry his strong form into next season.
Speaking from the Astana training camp in Italy, the Australian said that the team spirit within the squad was higher than ever.
"There's a really good vibe in the team and we're really happy with how we've gelled as a team. It's nice to get together and build a bond on and off the bike," Davis told Cyclingnews..
The team lost leader Alberto Contador to Saxo Bank - SunGuard for next season and like Alexandre Vinokourov, Davis believes that the loss has brought the team closer together.
"In a way that's right. I didn't race with Contador last year and wasn't here at the training camp last year because I was a late signing so there's a lot of guys I never met last year," he said.
"We've got a lot of experience and some talented youth coming through. Roman Kreuziger is a big one for the future. He's young but he's already been a pro for five years. I've got to know him here the camp."
Davis will head back to Australia this Saturday and is set to compete in the Australian national road race before taking part in the Tour Down Under – an event he won in 2009 while riding for Quick Step.
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With a strong end to the 2010 season in which he won gold at the Commonwealth Games and bronze at the Worlds, Davis is aiming to carry his form into the new year.
"The first major goal will be San Remo but before that there are some good races with Tour Down Under, the nationals and Tirreno-Adriatico. I'm just going into the season aiming to win as many races I can. It's nice to go into the off-season with the form I have and it'll be nice to keep the ball rolling into Amstel, after which I'll take a break. Up until then it's all winnable."
After his break, Davis is hoping to race the Tour de France, an event he narrowly missed selection for in 2009, followed by the Vuelta and the Worlds. He has not raced the Tour since 2005, but with Astana set to take a more cautious philosophy on their Tour ambitions in the absence of Contador, Davis believes that he may get his shot at winning his first Tour stage.
"I'm targeting the Tour, the Vuelta and then the Worlds. They're three races I'd love to get results in an they're the top events in cycling. I'll be hoping to take good form from the Vuelta into the Worlds."
Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.
