Daniel Navarro (Cofidis) is featured in the latest issue of Cycling News HD(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Daniel Navarro (Image credit: Pasados de Volta)
Herrada, Trofimov and Navarro make the break(Image credit: Pasados de Volta)
Contador and his Spanish lieutenants(Image credit: Susanne Goetze)
We're almost halfway through the second week of the Tour de France and Cofidis is one of several teams yet to hit the mark so far. The French team has been without a stage victory in their home race since 2008.
New recruit Daniel Navarro is hoping to break that run in the mountains this weekend. "It would make me very excited to win a stage," the Spaniard told Cycling News HD. "I haven't marked any objectives in stone, it would make me very excited to win a stage."
This weekend sees the first of two iconic stages, with the riders tackling the Mont Ventoux. While remaining coy about his chances, Navarro believes it's a stage where he can do well. "It is a climb that I can see suiting my characteristics, so I will try to stay with the best," he said.
"Unfortunately I don't know Mont Ventoux, but I've been told it is a long and hard climb. I think this will be a decisive day."
Navarro is riding his first Grand Tour without Alberto Contador since the 2007 Tour de France – when they rode for separate teams. In years gone by the Spaniard could be seen leading Contador though the mountains at the big races. Most recently Navarro helped Contador at the 2012 Vuelta a España. He decided to split with his long time teammate and move to Cofidis.
Since making the move, the Spaniard has taken a win at the Vuelta a Murcia and top 10 placings at the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Vuelta a Andalucía. "I think that the changes have gone very well," said Navarro. "The most important thing is that I am very happy with how things have started this season."
The Cofidis rider beat his former leader, ahead of the Tour, at the Critérium du Dauphiné. Navarro is relishing the chance to battle Contador once again. "To race in a team with him taught me what it is like to lead and thank you to him also for what I learned from him. Now it is a challenge to be able to face Alberto."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
So far, Contador is winning the battle has the better of his former teammate, with the Saxo-Tinkoff rider lying in fourth after the time trial. Navarro currently sits in 25th, 14:50 down, the top Cofidis rider in the GC.
Cycling News HD For the full interview with Daniel Navarro, download this week's issue of Cycling News HD. This week's issue has all of the latest from the Tour de France, with stunning photography and in depth analysis. We also take a look forward at the key Mont Ventoux stage, this weekend, and other key stages of the Tour. Tony Martin speaks to us about recovering from his stage one crash and his ambitions for the remainder of the Tour.
Delivered to your iPad every Wednesday, Cycling News HD brings you the best all-new cycling photography in the world via the best medium for viewing it, as well as reports, results and exclusive analysis of all the week's biggest races, in-depth previews of the races and stages to watch in the week ahead, interviews, news and opinion. With over 50 pages packed with new and original content every Wednesday, alongside all the latest reports and results, Cycling News HD is the best way to enjoy a roadside seat at all the season's biggest and best races.
Born in Ireland to a cycling family and later moved to the Isle of Man, so there was no surprise when I got into the sport. Studied sports journalism at university before going on to do a Masters in sports broadcast. After university I spent three months interning at Eurosport, where I covered the Tour de France. In 2012 I started at Procycling Magazine, before becoming the deputy editor of Procycling Week. I then joined Cyclingnews, in December 2013.
