Chavanel gears up for Clasica San Sebastian

After a disappointing Tour de France in which he suffered from a shoulder injury due to a crash in the first week of racing, Sylvain Chavanel of Quick Step is focusing on the upcoming Clasica San Sebastian, and the Vuelta a España later in August.

The French champion finished the Tour despite a painful shoulder luxation which made him get dropped many times, but still managed to show himself in front in the final days in the Alps, notably in stage 17 to Pinerolo, Italy.

"I spent a lot of energy just to continue the Tour after my crash, but it paid off. I really had a hard time during the second week, getting over the Pyrenees. But in the last week, I was able to race up front again," Chavanel told Cyclingnews after the last time trial on the Grenoble.

The 32-year-old said that he was looking forward to make amends for his bad luck at the three-week race. "I feel good now, still fresh. I'm a bit tired but it's not the fatigue I've known in previous years, I think I will be able to recover quickly from this, and I'm eager to turn the page on my frustration at the Tour," he added.

After arriving on the Champs Elysées in Paris, the French champion this week kept up his race rythm with two Criteriums before travelling to Northern Spain for Saturday's Clasica San Sebastian, an event he holds dear.

"San Sebastian is a race the I've always liked, and I'll try to be good there," Chavanel said. "In the last few years, I've always raced in the front group there, and only lacked a little bit in the end to win. I'm going there with some ambition."

He'll continue his race programme at the Vuelta, starting August 20.