Liberty Seguros prepares in the cold

In order to get them used to what will be a very chilly week of racing in Paris-Nice, Liberty Seguros team manager Manolo Saiz ordered his boys to train outside in the snow on Saturday. Apart from this, the riders also did some indoor work to complete the day, and Andrey Kashechkin and Aitor Osa used the time trial bikes to familiarise themselves with the BH machines they will use this season.

The race will begin tomorrow in Paris with a 4.8 km prologue, the only time trial of this edition. Liberty's Luis Leon Sanchez says he is looking forward to it, but is a little unsure of his form. "I have trained very well, but I have not raced since Australia and that is not the best way to confront a 4 kilometre prologue like this one," he said.

Sanchez added that he weighs two kilos less than he did a year ago. "I feel better climbing and I am more focused and also calmer, because I already know what I am going to confront." To lose the weight, Sanchez actually reduced his training volume in winter, but also his calorie intake. "Well, instead of going out to train for five or six hours at top level, this year I made it easier, but with some intervals. Also, I went out training the first few hours without eating, and I trained on the climbs with a higher pedal cadence."

Besides Paris-Nice, Sanchez said he will aim for the Vuelta a Castilla-Leon "and then I will do the Three Days of the Panne to help Koen de Kort. Then I will start again with Alcobendas and Catalunya to be as good as possible in the Tour de France, but without thinking of winning anything, only to help Vinokourov."