Sørensen says 2011 was best season ever

Chris Anker Sørensen didn't have any victories this season, but he still considered it his “best season ever”. The Saxo Bank-SunGard rider was pleased with his performances not only in supporting captain Alberto Contador but also when he was able to ride for himself.

“I have kept my basic level high throughout the season without having experienced a big decline, and I am really happy and really satisfied with that,” he told the Ekstra Bladet newspaper.

“In other years I have had good victories, but in strength, this is my best season so far. I've never before been able to stay with the favorites up the climbs. You can also see on the world rankings that I have had a good season. I've never been so high up.”  He finished 59th on the UCI's WorldTour ranking.

In 2012, he is especially looking to help Alberto Contador win the Tour de France. “I have ridden the Tour three times and now I would like to ride on to the Champs Elysees on the same team as the man in the yellow jersey.”

He dismissed criticism that this year's Saxo Bank-SunGard team wasn't strong enough to adequately support Contador, who finished fifth overall.  “I think we had a really good team. The plan was that we should be strong in the mountains, and we were.”

Sørensen's sporting highlights of the season included his sixth place at Liège - Bastogne - Liège, the mountains jersey at the Tour de Romandie, and his twelfth place overall at the Vuelta a España.

But without doubt his ultimate highlight came during the Tour of Denmark, with the birth of his daughter, Lark.  After one stage he rushed back to Copenhagen for the birth.

“Becoming a father is the biggest event in my life.  It's a great experience and it is purely idyllic to play with the little one, or just lie there and look at her.”