Top Cyclists to look out for in 2011 Tour de France - Part 3
Article continued from Top Cyclists to look out for in 2011 Tour de France - Part 2
Carlos Sastre
Carlos Sastre Candil is a professional bicycle racer born in Spain on April 22, 1975. Carlos started riding bicycles at the age of eight in 1982. It was the same year when 'Vuelta Espana' won the Tour of Spain.
Carlos was more into other physical activities, such as gymnastics and soccer as cycling was only part time for him. Carlos had set his eyes on the future as a professional cyclist because he soon realised that cycling was the best for his sporting career.
He was the Champion of Tour de France in 2008 and he had developed himself as a tough and steady climbing specialist. Sastre became a strong contender for GC (General Classification) sports in Grand Tours after he improved his Individual Time Trial skills.
The 36-year-old signed his first professional contract with 'ONCE' back in 1997 and stayed with them for five years. His performance was average and he only managed a few wins for himself, but he showed his real abilities in mountains and also won the mountain competition in 2000.
He signed Team CSC in 2002 and captained his side in the Vuelta a Espana. Sastre won the 13th stage of Tour de France in 2003 with a pacifier in his mouth as he welcomed his infant daughter. Sastre was 2 minutes and 32 seconds ahead of Tyler Hamilton.
Carlos Sastre and Ivan Basso worked hard to improve their personal time trial skills and went to Boston to train on MIT’s tunnel. It made Sastre a better all-rounder and improved his Vuelta a Espana performance. He was ranked 6th in the overall classification and 8th in the 2004 Tour de France.
The Spanish rider was 21st in overall classification Tour de France, 2005. His performance as a captain of Team CSC’s 2005 Vuelta a Espana was exceptional as he reached the podium of a Grand Tour. Sastre finished third behind Denis Menchov and winner Roberto Heras.
Sastre was one of the favorite cyclists to win Tour de France in 2008 along with Cadel Evans, Alejandro Valverde and Denis Menchov. Sastre also had to face the competition within his team by the Schleck brothers. Sastre showed mountain climbing expertise in the 17th stage of the Tour after a quiet start. He finished 2 minutes and 15 seconds ahead of Evans and held the yellow jersey and the stage win.
Sastre took a lead of 1 minute and 24 seconds over Frank Schleck into the final time trial and further 10 seconds advantage over Evans. Sastre finished the tour with 58 seconds lead and expressed his feelings as, “It’s very moving, I’ve dreamt of this since I was a child. I’m beyond words, to be here with my family is really special.”
Andy Schleck won the young rider classification and Team CSC Saxo Bank had a remarkable 2008 tour. Lance Armstrong, however, mocked Sastre's win as he said “2008 Tour was a joke”, Armstrong later on apologised for his comment.
Article continued from Top Cyclists to look out for in 2011 Tour de France - Part 4
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