German rider enjoying opening months with new team
Dominic Klemme in his new team kit (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com)
Despite missing the time cut in Paris-Roubaix Dominic Klemme (Argos-Shimano) had a race to remember, fitting into the early break, before a set of mechanical problems robbed him of a classified result.
Klemme signed for Argos at the start of the year after the merger between RadioShack and Leopard Trek. His decision to head for Argos was due to the riders he already knew on the team and the chances he would be given in the biggest races. At Leopard he was grateful for his position but was understandably used as a domestique for Fabian Cancellara.
"It's good, this team. I'm pretty happy. I know a lot of the guys from racing with them at the under 23 national team and it's a good team," he told Cyclingnews.
"I came here because I wanted to have my own chances. If you're in a big team at races like today they look to you to do the work but with this team there is the chance to be good here is if I have some space. I was in the break but I didn't have the best preparation with sickness and a crash but I made the best out of it."
Klemme was one of the strongest men in the 12 man group that broke clear 70 kilometres into Paris-Roubaix. A crash in the Arenberg occurred just ahead of him, and Klemme was lucky to escape the fall.
"I hoped to go a bit further than I did but I was lucky I didn't crash in the Arenberg when two riders came down in front of me.
"After the Arenberg then John Degenklob came but I had problems with my brake and I didn't recognise the problem at the time. I was dropped with a flat tyre but then I got to the velodrome just as doors were closing. I'm happy with the race I did."
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