Season 2006
CSC-Riis Cycling
After a year of uncertainty, I saw light at the end of the tunnel at the conclusion of Tour of Spain (La Vuelta España). I felt motivated and enjoyed my work. This motivation helped me overcome daily difficulties and started to believe that I could achieve better results.
The 2006 season started with two training camps, First at the training in Italy and then at on the other side of the Atlantic in California, in which I regained my self-confidence and will to fight for something great. Before the French race, Paris-Nice began I raced to assist my teammates to achieve their objectives. It was gratifying. We, all, worked very hard to help our teammates to reach their goals and also it was beneficial to us all.
After Paris-Nice, I rode the Critérium Internacional in France and we obtained another win for the team. After the race, I went back home to participate in the Basque Country Tour and the Spring Classic (La Clasica de Primavera) in which I won my first victory of the 2006 season. This race was beautiful and competitive with a final sprint for the victory.
Then, I initially went to Belgium to race two International well-known classics before taking a racing break to get ready for the Tour de France. However, during one of the races, I had to make a quick decision in order to help my team during the next upcoming Giro de Italia.
. I decided to participate in this race. I did not have any responsibly but helping my team. I was very motivated and also fit into my schedule. Even though, I was cautious in my training. After the Giro I did not finish too tired, so I continued with my preparation for the rest of the year.
It is funny because I postponed my initial break before the Tour until November. I began the Giro slowly and then I worked very hard during the second and third week. During this Giro, I did not have to stretch my preparation since my team did a great job. After the completion of this grand Tour, I had a few days to recover and start focusing on my training for the Tour de France. I went in small training camp to France to review a few stages of the Tour. |
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Carlos Sastre se anotó la Clásica de Amorebieta ante Cunego, Purito Rodríguez y Alberto Contador.
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Achievements
1º Clásica de Amorebieta
1º
5ª etapa CRE Giro Italia
3º Tour de Francia
2º 17ª etapa Tour
2º 18ª etapa Tour
5º 12ª etapa Tour
9º 16ª etapa Tour
4º Vuelta a España
1º 1ª etapa Vuelta CRE
Maillot oro Vuelta (1 día)
2º 7ª etapa Vuelta
4º 9ª etapa Vuelta
5º 5ª etapa Vuelta
5º 16ª etapa Vuelta
5º 17ª etapa Vuelta
7º 14ª etapa Vuelta
8º 20ª etapa Vuelta
10º 18ª etapa
4º Escalada Montjuïc
7º Campeonato España CRI
7º 6ª e. CRI Vuelta País Vasco
14º Clasificación UCI Pro Tour
46º Giro de Italia
(que ganó su compañero
Ivan Basso)
49º Campeonato del Mundo
(Salzburg) |
 Sastre y Riis celebran el liderato de Carlos en la primera etapa de la Vuelta
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Everything was ready to start the Tour when the shadow surrounding this sport (doping) put my team leader out of the race before starting. This circumstance, made my team to change its strategy for the race and all my team mates decided to support me to be the new leader. The beginning was not easy, but little by little I gained confidence after each stage. We reached the mountain stages after completing ten stages in which I overcame many obstacles. Once the road looked up to the skies, I started to find myself and recovered my forgotten fighting skills. I attacked in the mountain stages with one objective in mind, victory. I tasted its sweetness and at the end I could not take it home. I finished the race with a rare sensation that it did not happen. After the completion of this race I was more relaxed to analyze it and realized that this Tour has given more |
than it took from me.
With this in mind, I started training hard to achieve my third task for this season and second most important, the Vuelta España. I fought giving it a 100% of myself but my strength was limited and once again I was not therein the top three. When I thought this long season was over, I was called to join the Spanish national team to race the World Championship. I believe it is one of the most beautiful races for a professional cyclist.
The Spanish national team did a great race and I was satisfied with the conclusion of this special season for me. The 2006 season has changed the way I think and has woken up new motivation to fight for something great in the 2007 season. |
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