Astana Cycling Team

photo from Pro Team Astana

www.proteam-astana.com

Today, rest day of the Giro d'Italia, it's time for all riders to relax. This was also the occasion to take stock with Roman Kreuziger and Robert Kiserlovski.

Roman is currently the best young rider in the Giro d'Italia. He acquired this title after the terrible stage of Etna and the defended it in the last mountain stages.

The rest day is the occasion to go back on this eventful weekend with the assault of the Monte Zoncolan on Saturday and conquest of the Dolomites Sunday "Saturday, the rise of Monte Zoncolan was too steep for me, this profile doesn’t fit my characteristics, but the pure climbers. I felt better Sunday, even if there were more passes to climb, the profile suited me more and I was able to remain among the strongest all day, but unfortunately, on the last kilometre my body no longer responded, my neck and my legs were blocked with the cold and rain. "

Roman is currently 8th in the overall standings "The Giro is 3 weeks long, and it remains one week with many opportunities. Today I recognized the road of tomorrow’s time trial and I'm quite confident. Except Alberto Contador, who should be stronger than the others, I think I have as much chance as another to make a difference. Also for the last time trial in Milan, I'm pretty serene, because I trained a lot for the time trail with our sponsor Specialized, we made ​​many tests this winter. Then there is the stage that will finish in Tirano (17th stage), which is quite long and the one that ends in Sestriere (20th stage) with two ascents, which both offer opportunities."

Finally, the team is the current leader of the best team overall ranking "The team is in good shape here, we will try to maintain our position as the best team to Milan."

Robert Kiserlovski is an important figure within the team during the Giro, but also in the future of the Astana team.
Robert had to abandon the Tour de Romandie because of a cracked vertebra after his fall in Paris-Nice, but still wanted to take part in the Giro d'Italia "I arrived very motivated in Italy, although I was still suffering, motivation and concentration on the race alter pain when you're focused on goals, pain disappears. But I haven’t been very lucky, after my crash at the Paris-Nice, I crashed again in the Giro, so I lost time and a bit of my motivation. But I'm here to help the team and work for a leader, and I'm not going to drop the beat! "
Robert knows his leader, Roman Kreuziger since few years "We know each other quite well, we've been in the same team for few years and I think he's a good person. Of course as a leader he has yet to learn because he is still young and needs experience to be more relax, but all goes well. He is making a great Giro, I'm happy for him and I really hope he will finish on the podium, we'll see what happens in the last week. "

With Roman Kreuziger, Robert has been recruited in Astana until 2012 "I am happy at Astana Team, I hope to continue for several more years, because the atmosphere is good and there is less stress, I am more serene here and I feel really good."