CSC-Saxo Bank's Matti Breschel looks towards Worlds (Image credit: Jon Devich)
By Bjorn Haake in Ponferrada
CSC-Saxo Bank's Matti Breschel made the successful escape of Vuelta a España's stage 15 – 202 kilometres from Cudillero to Ponferrada. The Danish rider didn't have the legs to pull off a win, but feels he is ready for the World Championships.
"It looks good for the World Championships. It was a tough and long day out there, but I am glad I made the final selection," he explained to Cyclingnews after placing seventh for the stage. "In the first time in I don't know how many years we will have six riders. We should have a really strong team."
His preparation for the Worlds in Varese, Italy, came together perfectly. "After the Vuelta I will take a couple of days off, maybe only do one hour, and just sleep. I won't be doing any specifically hard training before the Worlds. Maybe one long ride of four and a half to five hours, with some efforts, but that's it.
"I know the course of the World Championships already. It is a good course, but also a bit tricky, especially if the weather is bad."
Good Spanish weather blessed Breschel in his Worlds preparations. "Usually, I don't suffer from the heat, just from the climbs... The last climb [stage 15's Lombillo] was a little bit too tough for me," Breschel said.
"If my legs are good I will try again. ... I can't help to be a little bit disappointed with today's result."
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The Vuelta helped him reach optimum form for Varese. "I am feeling better and better. Definitely, much better than at the beginning of the race."
