Fuglsang psyched to try again at Vuelta

Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo Bank) grits his teeth

Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo Bank) grits his teeth (Image credit: Sirotti)

Beaten only by a very strong Damiano Cunego (Lampre) on the mountain stage to La Pandera, Saxo Bank’s Grand Tour debutant Jakob Fuglsang is picking the right moment to go on the attack once again.

“I will try to take it a little bit easy, and then maybe see about doing something on one of the two mountain stages,” he said. “Maybe the day to Avila, as that is the easier of the two mountains stages. I’m motivated by the second place I got on the stage - it showed that the breakaway can stay away, and also that I still have good condition to climb.

“Cunego and I were the only ones to stay away from the breakaway,” he added. “That was really nice to see. I knew when I got into the move that it would be difficult to beat him as he could maybe have won if he was in the peloton for the whole day. He’s very strong. Because of that, I am satisfied with second place. Now we will see how it goes and I’ll give it a try for the stage win.”

Like many of the riders in the race, Fuglsang is feeling moments of deep fatigue in this third week of the Vuelta. However, perhaps because the race has been on flatter terrain for the past two stages, he said that he is feeling better than before. “Three days ago I was more tired,” he said. “I was completely f***ed. Now I actually feel better, I have got into the rhythm. But you never know – it can change really fast from one day to another…you get so tired.”

The 24-year-old has had a strong first season with Saxo Bank, winning the Tour of Denmark for the second year running and also placing sixth in both the Dauphiné Libéré and the Volta a Catalunya. He’s clearly a big name for the future, but realises that he has to gauge his effort in the three week races.

“If I’m not trying for a stage, my plan is to just take it easy and don’t kill myself by doing too much,” he said. “It is still a few days to go and it is my first Grand Tour. I have to be careful, and also get ready for the worlds too.”

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