STEVE CUMMINGS
Turns out the crash I had in Austria did more damage than I first thought. A second scan showed a small fracture in the fibula head and tears in the tendon below the kneecap. I had been riding but was unable to push properly and train as normal because I had a lot of pain coming from the knee. It felt like
I was compensating with my good side. Consequently I lost some condition, and went backwards. I was able to train more the week before San Sebastián but it wasn’t possible to be competitive there, and instead it was more of a training exercise - a stepping stone in the road back to full fitness.
A after San Sebastián we went to Burgos, and I felt I was improving but still some way off top shape. After Burgos I trained very well, but I’m not a magician: when you have limited time you can only maximise the days and sessions you have. I still think I’m short of condition but
I feel I’m at a point where I can aim to improve throughout the Vuelta. Athletes always want be better, but sometimes you have to accept where you are and just do your best.
The strategy for Dimension Data at the Vuelta is clear: we are here to support Louis Meintjes 100 per cent. I’m looking forward to this challenge and am excited to see how things unfold. I would like to do a great job for the team, find consistency in terms of performing as I know I can, and feel happy again.
I have nice memories from the Vuelta, particularly in 2012 with BMC. We had a team full of very good riders, such as Alessandro Ballan, Philippe Gilbert and some younger guys. We did not have a GC rider or a sprinter, so were free to hunt stages. Some of the more established riders had the Worlds in the back of the mind, so we were serious but racing without too much pressure. Gilbert won two stages and I won one in Galicia: stage 13 into Ferrol. I was in a six-man breakaway alongside Juan Antonio Flecha, Simon Clarke, Thomas De Gent, Cameron Meyer and Linus Gerdemann. Strong riders, rolling roads all day, lumpy, twisty and just enough wind to make it uncomfortable in the peloton and difficult to chase. We swapped off relentlessly, I don’t remember anyone missing a turn, it was full gas. Around 7k to go the attacks started, and with 4k to go I sensed it was a good moment. I was carrying a lot of speed, the others were slowing. There was a slight uphill so I could go full and
I got a small gap and just committed 100 per cent. I remember my friend and mentor Max Sciandri was the DS, and he said just go full, don’t look back, almost as if he knew I would not be caught.
I won alone, it was my first big win. The victory changed a lot for me, it gave me confidence that I could win at the highest level. Vamos!
I would like to do a great job for the team, ind consistency in terms of performing as I know I can, and feel happy again