Lastras eager to start season

Just before the Christmas holidays, Caisse d'Epargne's Pablo Lastras has started training again in view of next year's road racing season. "I just felt eager to commence training again," said the Spaniard from Madrid, who also recently attended a training course for directeurs sportifs. "Between the course and the team meeting [in Pamplona last week - ed.], where we did not take the bike, the truth is that I was getting a little late in my preparation, so now I need to get on with it."

For this, Lastras confronted cold temperatures which have taken a hold not only of Northern Europe at the moment. "It's not easy to train in winter, especially on days like these: a minimum of 0°C, and a maximum of 5. Fortunately, the sun is out and the group is going 'tranquilo'. Still, we're all out in the fresh air," he added.

His Caisse d'Epargne team will make its season debut at the Tour Down Under in Australia, the first 2008 ProTour race which will take place from January 22-27. Lastras has the objective of reaching a first peak of form there before continuing his season schedule with a team training camp in Mallorca. This will be followed by the Vuelta a Valencia, Tirreno-Adriatico, Milano-Sanremo, Tour of Flanders, Gent-Wevelgem, Paris-Roubaix, another training camp in altitude and the Giro d'Italia.

"This first part of the season programme will be a change for me, but it's always only to race more," smiled Lastras, who will be turning 32 years of age on January 20.