Roberto Heras Quotes (38 Quotes)

It's a hard course and it's not tailored for the specialists because it has a lot of hills. It can make a lot of differences if you're strong. I know the route well because I have ridden a lot in the area, including training and in Setmana Catalana.

The key has been the time trial in Lloret, where the first part favoured me and there were no differences, but in the second, Menchov extracted time. Then, he defended itself very well in the mountains, though these climbs were not excessively hard and a strong guy can't be dropped.

we haven't finished yet and it will be complicated to achieve the final victory, even though there are less dangerous days ahead.

In a race of three weeks, the key is to be consistent. The regret today is that I couldn't win the stage. I started the sprint, but Mancebo came very strong from behind me. I saw him coming, but there was nothing I could do.

The time-trial will be very difficult, more than it seems. I think there may well be some huge time-gaps at the finish. But I'm not leaving the starting gate with the intention of losing the jersey. I'm going to defend it.

It's the only critical climb (and Pajares a little) like the Angliru that decided the race without a doubt in the other years... I am going to take advantage of the opportunities that I have.

My first instinct is to win, but it would also be nice to set the record victory mark and pass into cycling history,

I had no problems at all, the team had everything under control.

There are many stages left on the race, but he made a strong impact, a morale blow to the rest. So far, Liberty and Heras have demonstrated superiority.

I wasn't looking for either the stage win or the lead, more to open up a time gap on the other favorites.

It's a race I rode just once but I liked it very much. It's a very nice race. I think it has a very demanding mountainous part, then the time trials are not too long. It's a race I liked the year I went.

There were many difficult stages to control the race like the one in the mountains of Madrid stage 17 or Avila stage 18, especially the Madrid stage. The advantage that we got in Pajares stage 15 was important and this one is maybe the calmest week of the four Vueltas I achieved.

Meanwhile, Heras is not sure if he will race the 2006 Vuelta. We will enjoy this fourth victory, ... In the winter we will see if theres a fifth or if we go for other goals.

No, there are still the mountains of Madrid and Avila, but there the key will be the team. Us and Illes Balears have a better team than Rabobank and CSC...Menchov will find it very tough, because there the team is fundamental. I have great confidence in being able to do something, because I feel strong and, especially, very good mentally.

There's still the stage to Lagos and that will be the key stage, because it's a hard climb and there you can't just follow the wheel.

Stage 14 to Lagos is still left a crucial day because it's a hard climb and being on a wheel will not count. We will see how Menchov reacts, because the fatigue comes to all of us and I'm still having good days. I feel good, and although I wanted to reduce the gap here, I came to the Vuelta to win and I will keep on trying.

I was very surprised ... I am convinced it is a mistake because I have never taken anything.

I am feeling that my body feels 100 percent for this Vuelta, ... And during the Tour, it just wasn't like that, even though this year was better than last year.

Today's stage was probably less difficult than that of yesterday. We let a breakaway go and the team has worked very well, and with a lot of discipline behind. No day is easy, but today our rivals probably paid a bit for the beating that they gave to them

Tactically, things worked out great today, ... The team was the key to victory today. I just finished off their work.

I still feel good, it's true, but Menchov hasn't failed and it looks like he hasn't done anything. I still have morale and even though I wanted to cut the time differences, I came to the Vuelta to win and I will keep trying.

The team has been working together very well in the last mountain stage, and I did not have any problem to control the race, ... There were attacks, but maybe Stage 18 was easier for us. Still, three stages remain, but Madrid is closer every day, although we cannot relax. The stages that remain are already easier to control, and I will come to the time trial with a good cushion of time in my favour.

I am optimistic and the chip' has been changed, because the Vuelta is a different race, ... It has nothing to do with the (Tour) from a month ago.

The stage characteristics werent for a climber, but its the last week of the Vuelta and strength is very important. A specialist like Plaza won, but I had the mentality to win. I almost won, it was so close. But Im confident thinking of the future because of what happened today.

I felt well, especially when I attacked in the tunnel with five kilometres to go, ... But I couldn't continue because this climb wasn't very difficult. The hardest bit was at the beginning, and Menchov stuck to my wheel so that didn't make it easier there was a headwind.

I have a big wound, but I am well and now it is necessary to wait and see how I feel tomorrow. I do not know how these cuts will affect me. I am very motivated and if this does not prevent me from riding tomorrow, I'll go forward. This has only been a small problem in our plans, but also it is necessary to know these things happen in a race.

It's the first time I've seen people waiting outside my home, ... but we're accustomed to this type of news generating more news than the sport. I am serene because I have nothing to hide. I train every day and I don't have to take dope to become better.

I felt good, especially when I attacked about 5km to go, but I couldn't keep going because this climb isn't that hard. The hardest part was at the beginning and Menchov was glued to my wheel.

If he doesn't yield, it's possible that we'll have a repeat of yesterday in Cerler, although Sastre said that he misunderstands both Mancebo and me. But if Menchov bends, the race will be much more aggressive and everyone will go hard without holding back.

We have to look for an explanation on why this is happening. We'll study it over the winter. Right now we don't know why, ... If we did, I could adapt to solve the problem.

I will enter the final week with tranquility, confidence and, above all, humility, ... I have a lot of respect for my rivals and, just like we saw when I fell last week, the race is never over until you reach Madrid.

Before the (Tour) departure, I was in excellent condition. The first 10 days, I felt pretty good too. Then, once the mountains came along, it all went badly, ... Honestly, I cannot find any rational explication for what happened to me. I know, however, that I can do well in the race. The proof is that I have already finished fifth in the race 2000. I finished on another occasion in the top 10 ninth, in 2002. I'm at ease with myself. I always prepare for a next race the best I can.

The team's strategy of upping the pace on the climb proved very important and then I could take over to finish off their work.

In a three week race, at the end there is always a high level, and more since we are in the UCI-ProTour. Maybe it's not the same level of the Tour, where all teams bring his nine riders at 100 percent level, but the average is very high. Maybe there are no so many names as other years, but the level continues being high. Here we have Mancebo, Aitor Gonzalez, Landis, Mayo, Pereiro and, in general, teams like Comunidad Valenciana, without forgetting that there are always foreigners whom you don't count on and then they ride very well.

They told me the news at the end of October. The only thing I can think of is that it is a laboratory error,

We knew it would be hard today, more so with the rain, ... There's still another week to go, so we can't celebrate yet.

To be honest, I was a bit surprised by the results,

Psychologically, it was a difficult moment for me. I don't like riding in the peloton in the chasing peloton. That's not my game, ... But I held on, mainly out of respect for my team. I have not given up doing well in the Tour one day. But on the evidence of things, I have to begin questioning certain things. We will analyze all that this winter.