Boogerd on Rasmussen

Michael Boogerd has had a solid Tour, riding well two days ago when he got into the winning break. "It's a shame I didn't win but it was three kilometres too much," he explained on the Belgian TV1 Tour show.

The Dutchman’s main role this year is not as an aggressor, though, but as a helper to the rider currently in third place overall. He says that the KOM leader is sometimes misunderstood. "My teammate Rasmussen is not an odd character as some suggest; sure he's a bit fanatical, a perfectionist, yes. But a lot of athletes are in one way or another. Michael's a very social person.

"And Pieter Weening has a lot of potential; he indeed has a good future ahead of him.

"I've been taking this Tour day by day; I've been working for Rasmussen but have been able to do my own thing too. It's not like there is pressure on me. There was a lot of criticism being voiced about the team's performances before the Tour; but I don't quite understand, the team has not done badly. I mean we were up there in the Pro Tour rankings. The Dutch press was hard in their comments, but the team kept their cool and until now it's been going well."

Boogerd says he'll try again if his legs are good. "I don't know how I'll come out of this rest day. Tomorrow we get another stage in which I can do well, but I hope I will be good the days after too."