Sastre: 2010 Tour is spectacular for climbers

Carlos Sastre, the 2008 Tour de France champion, did not attend today's 2010 Tour de France presentation in Paris, but intently followed the proceedings via the Internet. "I could see the route of the Tour and the comments of many of my next opponents," said Sastre, choosing to stay at home in Avila, Spain.

"I think it's a hard Tour, harder than this year, and this time favoring the non-time trialists, i.e. the climbers, as in my case. I think in that sense it is a spectacular Tour for climbers apart from those stages with pavé at the beginning of the Tour, with sections of Liège and Paris-Roubaix."

While Sastre did not make an appearance in Paris, two of his Cervélo TestTeam teammates were there in person. "My absence is due mainly to two riders on the team for whom I was excited to attend the event - Thor Hushovd, who has done a great Tour de France, and Heinrich Haussler. I already knew from other years what the presentation entails. I decided to forgo it because I wanted to be home and relax a bit."

Sastre is currently unsure of which races he'll concentrate on during the 2010 season. "At this moment I have still not decided what races I am going to do next year," said the 34-year-old Spaniard. "Until I know the route of the Vuelta a España I do not want to commit in advance to any event. In a week's time the route of the Giro d'Italia will be known and once I know all the routes [of the Grand Tours] I will be able to take stock and decide which of them is going to be a key target in 2010."

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