Phinney satisfied with Romandie performance

Taylor Phinney (Team BMC) has declared himself happy after a block of racing at the Tour de Romandie. The American went through a roller-coaster of experiences during the five-day event, finishing second in the prologue, working to help secure the win for team leader Cadel Evans, crashing in the time trial and missing the time cut on the final stage to Geneva.

However after missing most of the spring through injury Phinney was happy to be back racing before heading back to Colorado with the Tour of California and US nationals on the horizon.

“I would say it all went well. I wanted to go into Romandie and make it to the last day and finish. I wanted to win the prologue but I’m okay with second there and crashes happen. I’m happy with the feelings I’ve had in my legs even when I’ve been rolling along,” Phinney told Cyclingnews.

“I’m happy for the team and that we’ve gotten the win for Cadel. He’s a special team leader so as a comeback race for myself it could not have gone better. I’ve had five good days of racing.”

Phinney’s experience in the final two days of racing – a crash and the missing the time cut – haven’t damped his spirits.

“It was an interesting experience,” he said of today’s stage to Geneva. “We’ve been working really well as a team for Cadel all week. I did a lot of work on the first major stage and had been suffering since and today was much of the same.”

“I was on the front with the other guys for the first two hours and just keeping the group on check but after those two hours I was just cooked.”

Phinney found himself in a group of four rider but his three companions retired from the race at the feedzone leaving a determined Phinney keen to get to complete the race.

“When they cut off my number, I asked them for a map just to make sure I could get to the finish and find my way back. I just followed signs and I think I only got lost once but at the end of the day I made it. It was something I’ve never experienced before. I just wanted to finish off the race.”

The day before, Phinney had hit the deck within the opening kilometre of racing and despite minor injuries he is looking towards the time trial at the Tour of California where he is hoping to put in a strong result.

“BMC made me a new national champion bike and there was a really tight corner 700 meters into the time trial. I thought I could rail the corner and make it with no breaks but that was not the case and I went ploughing into a wall at mid turn.”