Spaniard hopes that canceled altitude training camp won't effect his competitiveness in March
The Russian Katusha team, along with Joaquim Rodríguez, had intended to do a training camp at altitude this week in Italy. The squad had hoped to get some quality climbing done iIn the area of the Etna volcano, where the 13th stage of the Giro d'Italia will play out. That plan was unfortunately canned due to snow, but Rodríguez still hopes to be ready for Tirreno-Adriatico (March 9-15). He has already targeted some key stages in the Italian stage race.
The team was slightly frustrated that the planned workouts could not be held. "We intended to train but it was impossible," Rodríguez says. "Even though the area is really beautiful, we were unfortunate enough to catch a cold spell, with snow as well. That forced us to abandon the camp."
Rodríguez trained at home instead, in familiar terrain. In Friday's interval training he found himself in "marvelous condition." Saturday he added the climbing to the picture. "I dedicated myself to get some elevation gains in," he says. "In almost five hours I went up over 3,000 meters." Sunday he is hoping for another epic training ride to get past the canceled camp in Italy.
Rodríguez's beginning of the season was hampered by an intestinal virus, leaving him with lack of training. He suffered in Mallorca, but was feeling better at the Tour of Oman. "The Tour of Oman was bittersweet for me," he says. "I only had one day where I was able to contest the stage and check my level."
Despite losing three and a half minutes to stage four winner Robert Gesink, Rodríguez was satisfied with the result. He had lost time before the final hill and claims that he was the second fastest rider on the climb up the Green Mountain. "I decided to do a test to see where I stand and I was quite excited to see that how well I was going. Only Gesink climbed faster than I. In the classifications they showed the times of the final climb and he was 22 seconds faster."
Rodríguez is now getting ready for Tirreno-Adriatico, which starts March 9. It is a race where in 2008 and 2009 he won the key stage to Montelupone. That final climb is famous for its steep pitches, over 20 percent at some places. And while the stage to Montelupone is not in this year's edition, Rodríguez still wants to show himself.
The Spaniard has already circled the two stages in the race bible that interest him. "I hope to be at a good level for the two stages that end on top. The fourth stage with the final in Chieti and the sixth stage, with the finish in Macerata," he says. "I also want to get some confidence for the upcoming objectives." Those objectives include the Volta a Catalunya, where he would like to defend his title.