Damiano Cunego eyeing the stage victory at the mountainous stages of the Paris-Nice 2012
Damiano Cunego has started his new season a little earlier but the cyclist is keen to get the maximum out of the ongoing Paris-Nice 2012.
The cyclist had a slow start to his new year and finished at the 132nd position during the first stage of the race.
He was much more impressive during the 185 kilometre stage 2 and finished at the 56th position.
Cunego is now eyeing the coming stages of the race and is optimistic to bag some wins during the mountainous stages of the event.
He told Gazzetta dello Sport, “I’m not bad, but I feel like I still need another month of work to be at my best, I’m missing a bit of rhythm and I’m not yet at my sharpest on the climbs”.
He added, “Besides, because of the races that have been cancelled in Italy [the Giro di Sardegna and Giro del Friuli – ed.], I have seven fewer days of racing in my legs”.
His only success in the current season was the second place finish at the Gran Premio di Lugano and is still hunting for his first top position.
Cunego started riding professionally with Team Saeco Macchine per Caffè-Longoni Sport in 2002 and stayed with the team for a period of two years.
He accepted an offer from Team Lampre-ISD in 2005 and is continuing his eighth consecutive season with the team.
The 30-year-old, also nicknamed as ‘The Little Prince’, had a terrific past season and sealed a number of victories.
He secured the overall victory at the Giro dell’Appennino and finished second overall at the Tour de Suisse.
Damiano claimed stages at the Tour de Romandie, Giro di Sardegna and finished seventh overall at the Tour de France 2011.
He voiced, “I came to this race because I’m motivated by those three finishes. I know Mende and Col d’Eze. I don’t know Lac de Vassiviere, but they’ve explained it to me”.
Damiano is targeting the Tour de France 2012. He will also ride the Tour of Basque Country and the Ardennes Classics.
He is keen to claim the overall victory at either one of the three races, the Amstel Gold Race, the La Fleche Wallone and the Liege-Bastogne-Liege in the season ahead.
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