Rolf Aldag is satisfied with the start of T-Mobile's season, saying "The guys have shown real class. The success is not a coincidence. It is the result of hard work."
In an interview on the team's website, t-mobile-team.com, he said that the team is based on mutual trust and respect, and cited Marcus Burghardt's win at Gent-Wevelgem as an example. "We put together a racing program that fit all his wishes and expectations. We could very well have used him at Milano-Sanremo, but before the Flemish Classics, Marcus wanted to have a training session with his trainer, Thomas Schediwe. We accepted that, and it paid off. "
"Marcus used all his possibilities to be successful. When you see how committed the guys are, then you know you aren't wrong with your concept," Aldag said.
Article continues belowBurghardt's win "came at the right time. It took a little pressure off the team." He explained, "When you are dropped by the peloton four times, that hurts, but isn't so bad. But when you just barely miss the win four times, at some point that sets itself in your head and you cramp. When you see that it works, then you are ready to give everything.
While T-Mobile's Classics riders and sprinters have done well, the stage race riders are lagging a bit behind. "The results aren't so good there. But we won't make any stress or go into a panic." There have been some successes, he noted, such as Kim Kirchen's second place overall finish in Tirreno-Adriatico.
Like many other teams, T-Mobile has been hit by injuries and illnesses, which not only knock the riders out of the races, but continue to affect them. "Many riders in the stage races are just coming back from illness or injuries, you can't expect to much from them. I don't want to put these riders under any pressure, then they'll never get well."
Looking back at his first few months as director sportif, the former rider said, "It was a very exciting time, in which I learned a lot and continue to learn. That never stops."
