TROUBLE ON THE TOUR

Q

You were a bit unlucky with injury at the Tour de France. Tell us what led to you being unable to finish the two you competed in?

A

I had whooping cough in 2003 and had to finish at stage 18. I rode a couple of stages with it and it was really difficult to do. The second time around I busted my knee in a crash. You get some big injuries and you can try and manage some. I broke my tailbone on day three in a crash at California and finished the race seven days later. I have done my collarbone and wrist twice each.

Q

Tell us about the day you came agonisingly close to helping Robbie McEwen win the 2006 Salzburg, Austria?

A

Robbie got a punctured tyre with one lap to go when the race was in full swing and we were lining up for the finish. It was Robbie’s best chance at winning it that year. It was a really important moment and I stopped with him. We had to work to get back to the pack. Firstly we had to get back to the bunch so he could at least try and get back to the front to contend the finish. I think we got back on with 10km to go but then you have to get from the 150th wheel to the front to try and contest the finish so they were pretty intense moments. We came across a dark tunnel and the Spanish had a little tactic or spur of the moment decision that worked effectively. Three guys came out of the tunnel just in front and they hung on to take the win and Robbie finished fourth.