Joaquim Rodriguez hopeful to climb the podium at the Vuelta a Espana 2012
Joaquim Rodriguez of Team Katusha is targeting the Vuelta a Espana 2012 as the biggest goal of his season.
The cyclist is looking ahead for his seventh appearance at the Grand Tour and is keen to make the most of the 2012 edition of the race.
His best performance at the Vuelta was the fourth place finish in 2010. He claimed the 19th overall spot at the most recent version of the race.
Contador’s ban from professional cycling has dramatically changed the course of the game especially the World Tours.
He was tested positive for clenbuterol during the Tour de France 2010 and was given a two-year ban earlier in February 2012.
Alberto is now banned from professional cycling until the 5th of August, 2012, which takes him out of the equation for the Tour and the Giro. The only World Tour race that he can participate in is the Spanish Grand Tour.
Rodriguez welcomes Contador at the race and believes that his presence will make the competition more interesting.
He said, "It's always better that the strongest riders are at the biggest races. If Contador is there, or even Evans, that's better than me being the only favourite".
"It's better because the racing is more controlled and also because when you win it's more deserved too," Joaquim concluded.
Besides Vuelta, the 32-year-old will focus the classics in the early part of the season and will challenge his old rival Philippe Gilbert at the Ardennes Classics 2012.
He praised the Belgian for his all round performance during the Fleche Wallone and the Amstel Gold race 2011.
Joaquim finished second on both the races and is confident to claim the top spot during the 2012 version of the race.
He cited, "I think it will be very hard for the Gilbert we saw last year to be the same again this year and I'll certainly come back a little better again this year".
Joaquim is currently riding the Tour of Oman and his 12th place finish during the 140.5 kilometre stage 2 of the race earned him the 11th overall spot at the race.
Peter Sagan is currently leading the overall classifications and Rodriguez is 17 seconds behind the Slovakian.
The Spaniard is targeting the overall classifications at the Tour of Oman and with four more stages to go, he is definitely a hot favourite to walk home with the tour win in his bag.
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