Chris Anker Sorensen returning to professional cycling after a long break
Chris Anker Sorensen will mark his return to professional cycling after his crash during the team’s training camp in Israel followed by the flu which kept him away from professional cycling for almost a month.
"The crash was one thing, but the flu really drained me of energy and made me cough like a 'sea lion', now I'm hoping to be back to my best for Catalunya," he briefed.
Anker now has additional responsibilities on his shoulders since the suspension of Alberto Contador.
The Spaniard was considered as the collarbone for the Danish side, Team Saxo Bank and almost 68 percent of the total UCI points earned by the team came through him.
Court of Arbitration for Sport handed him a two-year ban for using clenbuterol during the Tour de France 2010.
The ban prevents him from riding all the major cycling events for the coming season and Vuelta a Espana is the only major race he might ride in the current season.
The 29-year-old has also been disqualified from all the victories since the 2010 edition of the French Grand Tour.
Contador can return to professional cycling on August 2012, which adds extra responsibility on all the cyclists in Team Saxo Bank.
Chris Anker is optimistic to take that extra pressure in the coming races and his first target is the Ardennes Classics, scheduled in April 2012.
He voiced, "I'm now back on par with the rest of the boys but I just have to face the fact that I'll peak a little later than first planned".
The Dane has participated in as many seven Grand Tours throughout his career including two Giros, three Tours and two Vuelta a Espana under his belt.
He finished 12th during the most recent version of the Spanish Grand Tour and 37th at the Tour de France and is a strong candidate to represent the team during the 2012 Grand Tours.
The 27-year-old is looking for a positive start to his 2012 season by grabbing a stage win early on at the La Fleche Wallone or Liege-Bastogne-Liege 2012.
It is believed that Sorensen will skip the Italian Grand Tour for the second consecutive season and will ride the Tour de France instead.
He is also lining up for the Danish National Championships scheduled in his hometown, Hammel.
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