Garmin-Cervélo’s Tom Danielson has a clear set of targets in the month ahead, with his first big aim being a strong performance in the Tour of California.
“I am not going to downplay it. I would really like to do a good ride there,” he told VeloNation at the start of today’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège. “I feel good and I have really prepared well for it…I had have trained with a focus on that. I would like to shoot for the top there, to show up as best I can, and hopefully get a good result.”
The climber broke two ribs in a crash earlier this year but said that he has been able to get some good racing in regardless, and is starting to feel better. After riding Liège, he will line out in the Tour de Romandie and then aim high in California.
When asked if he hoped that a strong performance would earn him his first start in the Tour de France, he said that was one of his motivations for the season. “I would hope so, but you would never know,” he answered, with a grin. “I would like to have a good California, a good US nationals, a good Tour de Suisse and hopefully that lines me up well [for the Tour].”
Danielson is one of the specialist climbers on today’s start list, along with other competitors including the Schleck brothers. In a video interview with VeloNation, Frank Schleck previously said that he hoped that the climbs in Liège-Bastogne-Liège – which are longer relative to those in the Amstel Gold and Flèche Wallonne – would tip the balance in favour of the lighter riders, thus making things tough for the more explosive Philippe Gilbert.
When this was put to Danielson, he played down the significance of this and questioned if they would be of sufficient distance to cause any issues. “I don’t think there are any long climbs today. The longest climbs are two kilometre, three kilometres – long climbs for me are 15 kilometres. I think he [Gilbert] is still the guy who will be very difficult to beat.
“I only did this race before, but what I noticed is that it is just about survival at the end. Whoever is the strongest can ride away, and who ever is not can’t go with them.”