Samuel Sanchez is riding the Amstel Gold Race as a warm-up to the World Championships this fall, which will be held on nearly an identical course. The Euskaltel-Euskadi rider is also a challenger for the title on Sunday, as he showed his good form last week at the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, where he won two stages and finishing second in two others, to take the overall title.

His definite goal?  “A world championship medal. Then I will have realized all by dreams since I began riding as a child.  I wanted to to shine at the Olympics. I did that in Beijing in 2008.  I wanted the polka-dot jersey at the Tour (de France, ed.). I did that last year. I wanted to win the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. I did that last week,” he said, according to nieuwsblad.be.

“The only thing left is a medal at the Worlds. That is why it is so interesting to ride the Amstel Gold Race. It is a warm-up for the Worlds.”