Veteran Spaniard yet to confirm team for next season
Image 1 of 3
Juan Antonio Flecha (Vacansoleil) attacks the Oude Kwaremont(Image credit: Photopress.be)
Juan Antonio Flecha (Vacansoleil-DCM)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Juan Antonio Flecha dug deep to finish in the top ten(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Spanish Classics star Juan Antonio Flecha says that he will continue racing in 2014. There had been doubts whether the former Het Nieuwsblad winner would continue racing, particularly as his current squad, Vancansoleil, is folding at the end of the year. But the 35-year-old is determined to keep going for now.
Currently taking part in the Vuelta a España, where he has been very active - with a blistering late attack on stage four the highlight so far - Flecha told Spanish radio “I think I’m going to keep going, and I hope to have a clear direction” - a confirmed team - “soon.”
Flecha did not go on the attack again on stage five, saying he was working for Vacansoleil teammate and sprinter Grega Bole. “But my condition’s good,” he insisted, “I did the Tour” - and then went on to take sixth in the Tour of Denmark - “but came back well rested and I’m enjoying myself here. If I get a win then so much the better.”
With no general classification aspirations, Flecha had initially tipped current race leader Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) for the stage win, but said that after a few days racing, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) was also creating a very good impression.
After three years in Sky in which he took one of their earliest wins in Het Nieuwsblad in 2010, Spain’s top cobbled-Classics specialist placed eighth in Paris-Roubaix and fifth in Ghent-Wevelgem.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The Independent, The Guardian, ProCycling, The Express and Reuters.
