Movistar riding aiming to race both Tour de France and Rio Olympics
The all Movistar podium for the 2016 Spanish national time trial (Image credit: Team Movistar)
Jon Izagirre's recent winning run against the clock continued as the 26-year-old topped the all Movistar podium in the Spanish national championships. Izagirre won the Tour de Romandie prologue in May while his Davos time trial win at the Tour de Suisse helped him to finish second overall.
"Following my victory in Suisse, I was really willing to come to this course and go for the win. I knew I could do well, but I was completely conscious that this was a different story from last week: quite longer, always demanding - you had to stay calm and distribute your energies well during the course," he said of the 40.95km course in Ibi.
Izagirre was the sixth last rider to start the time trial and explained with teammates Alejandro Valverde and Jonathan Castroviejo starting after him, he gave it his all in the finale not knowing whether he was fighting for the podium or not.
"The work by the team with the time gaps was really good - I was having information all the time, knowing that 'Castro', 'Bala' and me were doing pretty equal. Once we got over the Revoltes climb and coming into the final 6, 7 kilometers, I took my gamble: giving 100% without knowing if it would be a win or a silver medal. Fortunately, it all went well."
Izagirre, and his brother Gorka, joined Movistar from the 2014 season when he won the Spanish road race title, and has been enjoying his best year yet as a professional with top-five results at Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, Volta ao Algarve, Paris-Nice and Tour de Romandie. He also won the GP Miguel Indurian in April.
"I've got that feeling that this one really is my best season in the pro scene. Ever since the start of the year, I got to keep this regularity over all courses, doing well no matter the terrain. That makes you incredibly confident and gives you a reason to keep working hard, so you can keep success coming," he said of his results half-way through the season.
Izagirre also added improvements made by Canyon to its time trial bike have contributed to greater consistency this season which he is aiming to continue at the Tour de France in July, and Rio Olympic Games in August.
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Canyon's new bike has been completely satisfying: the new materials are really good, which is amazing considering the amounts of work they have always put to bring us the best quality. Claiming wins from the first race with this Speedmax has been a result of that. Now TDF and the Games, you say? Well', one would have to ask Eusebio and Javier Mínguez [Spain's national team coach]; I'd like to ride both of them, but it's their choice."
