Dave Zabriskie has been struggling (Image credit: Gregor Brown)
Team CSC has had a good run in this year's Tour de France so far thanks to two stage wins by Fabian Cancellara and seven days in the race leader's maillot jaune. The second phase has started and the Swiss has promised himself to team leader Fränk Schleck and Carlos Sastre, while the team has had to deal with the blow of losing Aussie Stuart O'Grady. Cyclingnews' Gregor Brown reports from the team's rest day press conference in Val d'Isère.
"Yesterday, we saw that the team was strong again," began directeur sportif Kim Andersen. "The riders that needed to be there were there. We are ready to go on for the next phase of the race." Schleck stayed with a group containing Valverde and Evans and he is now 3'14" behind GC leader Rasmussen, while Sastre trailed in the next group and sits at 3'35".
Yellow jersey push aside, Andersen noted the loss of a key teammate, Paris-Roubaix champion Stuart O'Grady. "I would like to thank Stuart for his great work for the team for the whole week. We are sending our thoughts to the hospital where he is now; we will go on and try to win for him." The Aussie touched wheels with a rider, crashed on the descent of the Hauteville climb, and is reported to have broken five ribs, his shoulder blade and collarbone.
In contrast to O'Grady's misfortune, Cancellera reflected fondly on his seven days in the golden fleece, but is now ready to ride for the team. "When I look back they were beautiful days but there were also hard," said the 26 year-old Swiss. "I think that the Colombière will cause me to pay for a week. I told the whole team I was feeling sorry. The yellow is beautiful but it is also a hard job [to have it]. There is no time for recovery. There is always stress, with the media, the controls... It was not an easy week. Now I am for the team to help Carlos and Fränk."
