Cervelo Canadian rides on home soil
Dominique Rollin will race some of final events for the Cervelo Test Team in his home county of Canada, an unexpected opportunity since the two one-day races this weekend in the province of Quebec are the first Canadian ProTour events in that country. The inaugural editions of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec City and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal will be held on Friday, September 10 and Sunday, September 12 respectively.
"It's an honour to be racing in these races here," said Rollin to Cyclingnews. "There is an exciting cycling history in Montréal. There haven't been many races in years but to be able to do this in my backyard now, after all the training over the years, is incredible. It is an opportunity of a life time. I have butterflies in my stomach starting these races."
Rollin won the 2006 Canadian National Championships on a course very similar to that of the GP Quebec City. The Canadian will not be competing with Cervelo this weekend, instead he will be riding the events with the Canadian National Team run by former Tour de France yellow jersey competitor Steve Bauer.
"I think we have a great team, especially with the distances being shorter than the classics," said Rollin. "I think we have the chance to do something if we work together as a unit. I think everyone that has been selected can race 190km. A couple of the riders have been racing in Europe for the last three weeks and have shown that they have done their homework and they are ready for these races."
The GP Montreal course was also the site of the Road World Championships in 1974, won by five-time Tour de France winner Eddy Merckx, as well as hosting and event in the 1976 Olympics and multiple World Cups. Rollin will be using the opportunity of the two races to show off for the Pro Continental and North American teams as he seeks a new team for the 2011 season.
"I'm looking at any options at the moment so I am certainly not closed to speaking with the North American teams that are turning Pro Continental," he said. "I think by being in North America at the moment I can use this time to get in touch with those teams."
The Cervelo rider brought his team a second place in the French Tour de Poitou-Charentes, proving the development of a strong form in time for the late-season races, which he hopes will carry him through the Canadian events and help him to find a contract. The races suit his history in the classics and he favourably compares them to European races he’s competed in.
"Québec City is similar to the Tour of Flanders but shorter and Montréal is similar to Fleche Wallonne or the Ardennes Classics," Rollin explained. "Both races are very hard and they both have their technicalities. Québec City suits me more than Montréal. The distances are not a problem but the speed of the races will be high so we will see how things turn out."
Rollin was a strong North American classics rider for several years before begin his European career with Cervelo in 2009. The Cervelo Test Team will shut down at the end of the year and the title sponsor as well as several riders and staff members will be partnering with Team Garmin-Transitions.
"At the moment I'm struggling to find a team interested in me. I knew Garmin wouldn't be interested because they weren't going to sign many guys who are Classic-style riders. They already have a strong unit for the Classics. With more than ten guys on the market it was impossible for me to think that I would go there."
The Canadian was openly disappointed in the lack of effort that the team management made in replacing their sponsor of four-years. He said that they gave up instead of making the effort, while keeping the riders in the dark for more than a month.
"It is very difficult to find a team at the moment because we are quite late in the season for transfers,” he said.
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