Michael Morkov helps Team Saxo Bank- Tinkoff with a KOM victory
Absence of Alberto Contador made it very difficult for Team Saxo-Bank Tinkoff as the team is truly missing the services its of star rider.
The Spaniard was accused of using clenbuterol during the Tour de France 2012, which helped him with an overall victory at the race.
The case faced a number of setbacks and the final decision was made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport earlier in 2012.
The jury was convinced that the cyclist used unfair means to enhance his performance during the French Grand Tour and handed him a two-year-ban.
Contador has also been stripped-off from all the victories since the 2010 version of the French Grand Tour and the ban prevents him from riding most of the major cycling races of the season.
The only major cycling race Alberto is eligible to ride in the current season is the Vuelta a Espana and the Spaniard is training hard to get the right form ahead of the race.
Michael Morkov is making full use of the provided opportunity and is currently leading the King of Mountains category at the race.
He has managed to secure the maximum number of mountains points and is currently leading the category with a total number of 9 points in his pocket.
Morkov’s team-mate Nick Nuyens briefed that the victory was very important for the team and they took a sigh of relief right after Michael secured the KOM jersey.
"The new sponsor [Tinkoff Bank] was only announced recently and we're already on the podium. From the first stage on we had the polka dot jersey".
“That's a great bonus, also for Michael. He's a team player but now it's for him. He's making his name”.
"He deserves this. He's been in almost every breakaway attempt this year and finally he's receiving a reward for it. He's saying it himself too: it's my moment of glory in my career," he concluded.
Ivan Basso and Peter Sagan of Team Liquigas-Cannondale hold the second and the third positions with 2 points each.
David Moncoutie of Team Cofidis, Anthony Delaplace of Team Saur-Sojasun, Pablo Urtasun Perez of Team Euskaltel-Euskadi, Tony Gallopin of Team RadioShack-Nissan and Sebastien Minard of Team AG2R La Mondiale secured the next five positions.
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