-
Hayden Roulston - Source: Photosport -
Related
New Zealand cyclist Hayden Roulston will have a saga to tell for a soon-to-be born son when the Tour de France ends after 21 stages on July 26.
Double Olympic medallist Roulston will make his debut in the 106th edition of the world's biggest cycling race when he takes the start line with his Swiss-based Cervelo TestTeam for stage one in Monaco on July 4.
He and partner, Angelique Armstrong, are expecting their first child in four weeks and Roulston happily told NZPA, it "would be all on" when the tour ended on July 26 in Paris.
His ultimate goal is to be there with his teammates in the final circuit down the Champs Elysees in Paris but Roulston knows it is going to be a hard slog over the 3500km of the race as he will have to shoulder an all rounder's spot in the team.
"My role will mainly be to lead Thor Hushovd out in the sprints and if needed, assist (team leader and defending champion) Carlos Sastre in the early mountain stages," Roulston told NZPA this morning from his team's Swiss base.
He will also be one of the team's kingpins for the fourth stage, a team time trial in Montpellier on July 7.
"It is a bit like the team pursuit with eight other guys and over 40km instead of 3km.
"Each rider's roles won't be decided until the day before but I expect that Thor, Brett Lancaster and myself will be taking longer turns at the front.
"It's going to be full gas for 40km."
Roulston said the tour was a whole new ball game for him and would be a completely different experience from the Olympics where he won a silver medal in the individual pursuit and a bronze in the team event.
"I'd say mentally and physically, I'm in a better shape now than I was in last year, having been race hardened in Europe," said Roulston, adding that he had got over the disappointment of missing the first of the season's "grand tours", the Tour of Italy, because of a foot injury.
"Maybe that was a blessing in disguise because it allowed me to focus on myself and train for the Tour de France. I think I'm in the best shape of my life now."
Recent races had shown his right foot, injured in a crash during the Paris-Roubaix one-day classic in April, was no longer an issue as long as it was well-managed.
The big rider, who will be the ninth Kiwi to race the Tour de France, said he was going to take the opportunity to show what he had got with future goals in mind.
"It's going to be such a challenge but I will be among the best riders in the world. I have raced many of them this season and know them.
"It is a matter of time before I can compete with them and this tour is a chance to build my confidence."
A good chance to announce himself will be on the opening day's individual time trial in Monaco where the 15.5km circuit takes in parts of the famous Formula One circuit along the waterfront where his wind-riding experience will be valuable.
But it also contains a category four 7.2km climb that organisers say will separate the men from the boys.
"Every day is an opportunity and if it presents itself, I will go for it.
"It is going to depend on how I feel on the day, but it will be good to start with a bang."
Although Cervelo had the defending champion, Roulston felt that the pressure would be on the Astana team who had a number of riders capable of winning the tour such as 2007 winner, Alberto Contador, seven-times champion Lance Armstrong and past tour podium finishers including Andreas Kloeden of Germany and American Levi Leipheimer.
He was honoured to be alongside Sastre, who he said was a rider "who just does his best".
He had recently spoken with fellow Kiwi, Julian Dean, who will make his fifth tour start with his Garmin Slipstream team.
It was a huge honour for New Zealand to have two riders start the tour. "It's pretty cool."
