Having reached the ProTeam level at the age of 26, Saxo Bank SunGard rider David Tanner has said he is encouraged by his first year at that level and is determined to make further progressions in 2012.
The Australian had a number of good performances and also learned much after previous years with Rock Racing (2009) and Fly V Australia (2010).
“My first season has been full of both good and bad experiences. Personally, it's been good for me to be able to see I'm always progressing and it motivates me to experience that I'm able to be competing for the victory,” the 27 year old explained.
“Finishing fifth in Ster (ZLM Toer) was naturally great and it confirmed that I'm able to compete at the highest level but there have been other achievements along the way that made my first season a successful one and that makes me believe I'll do even better next year.”
In addition to fifth on a stage and fifth overall in the ZLM Toer, he was also seventh on a stage of the Tour of Poland and tenth in the Hel van het Mergelland. It didn’t always go well, though, as he crashed on several occasions. One incident happened when he broke his elbow on the first stage of the Vuelta Castilla y Leon, putting things back by several weeks.
“I have had a few setbacks as well, breaking a few bones and had a bit of illness that got in the way for me,” he explained. However he believes the balance is positive. “All in all, I'm happy with the season and happy to be on this incredible team.”
He is now back in Australia and thus has the chance to build his condition in the heat there, as well as catch up on normal life during the short off-season. In December he is likely to fly back to Europe for Saxo Bank SunGard’s team bonding camp, then will presumably return to Australia for Christmas and more warm-weather training. He would seem a logical consideration for the Santos Tour Down Under squad, although that will be finalised closer to the event.
Tanner believes that the sprint train for JJ Haedo is improving all the time and that it will be a big factor in next year’s races. If so, that reinforces the suspicion that there could be some superb sprint clashes ahead in 2012, with many big sprinters expected to have strong support.