Dowsett to leave Movistar?
Spanish team leaves Brit out of Tour de France squad
Alex Dowsett has hinted that he may have to leave Movistar at the end of the season if he wants to ride more Grand Tours.
The Essex rider has been left out of the Spanish team’s nine-man roster for the Tour de France, just days after finishing second in the British Time Trial Championships on the Isle of Man to Steve Cummings (Dimension Data) by eight seconds.
Dowsett had been hoping to support Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde in France, but his omission means that the 2013 Giro d’italia stage winner has still only ever started two three-week stage races.
He said: “I’m 28 now and have done two Grand Tours — it’s not enough. I need to be doing them. I’ll have a big think and see what happens.
“My time trialling is becoming less and less relevant to Grand Tour selection. When you have two guys like Nairo and Valverde, the whole team is built around them. I get selected on my ability as a domestique.
“There are people there like Imanol [Erviti] and [Daniele] Bennati who are better and more experienced than I am.
“It’s been a tough year because I was aiming for the Giro — I was really fit for that — but didn’t get selected, I think based on a similar basis.
“I’ve worked hard this year and it’s frustrating but I have to keep plugging away and aim towards whatever happens at the end of the year.”
Dowsett said that he understood and agreed with Movistar’s decision but when asked if he is getting enough opportunities at the team, he responded: “The last four years at Movistar, absolutely. This year? No.”
Although Dowsett is contemplating switching teams, the former Team Sky man isn’t prepared to change the type of rider he is.
He added: “Mick Rogers said to me at Sky that the biggest advice he had for me was to stick to what I am good at. I am good at time trials.
“I like being part of a team that helps a GC guy to win, but I also like winning myself. Time trials are my bread and butter. This is what I get up for in the morning.”