@dubaitour @taylorphinney PHINNEY FINISHES BEST ON DUBAI, DAY ONE

Press conference quotes


Photo credit ANSA/Peri-Carcone
Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team) has won the first stage of the Dubai Tour. The American rider now wears all the leader's jerseys in this new Asian race.
In today's individual time trial, Phinney beat his team-mate, the Briton Steven Cummings, into second place, while the Danish Olympic Champion (Omnium) on Team Garmin Sharp, Lasse Norman Hansen, was third.
Please find below declarations from the winner's press conference:

Winning today.
"If there's an event that's best for me, it's anything around 12 minutes and below. I haven't had many opportunities to ride short time trials since I've been pro - they seem to be phasing out short time trials and Prologues - so I was really happy when this course came out. It means a lot to win today. I've been thinking about this race since they came out with the race route weeks ago. I knew there would be some big names here. Specifically, Tony Martin is good in any time trial. especially on a road bike, so I'm overjoyed and relieved that I have won."

The wind.
"I decided to go early because of the weather report. It looked like the wind was going to build up. I hope it was the same conditions for everyone, but I don't know. You want everyone to go at the same time, but it's not easy when there are 125 of you."


Photo credit ANSA/Peri-Carcone
Good preparation.
"After a disappointing 2013, I've had a good off-season. I'm fresh mentally and physically but I've also been training a lot. The team has a different approach this year: all the riders have individual goals, and I'm a goal-setting-type person, so I like that. Today was a big goal for me. I'm happy with the way my Dubai Tour has started."

The bigger picture.
"The win is a big confidence booster for me. I thought I knew what I was capable of on a course like this, but I exceeded my expectations today. I haven't won the Dubai Tour yet. There are a lot of variables in this race: wind, climbs on St 3, more wind on St 4. All I can do is take it day by day. There's some strong competition here, but BMC has a good team, we have also Steve Cummings who is strong and in a good position, so I'm excited. It's a short race but it's going to be intense. A lot of things can happen over the next couple of days, we just have to stay calm, we have a good chance."


Photo credit ANSA/Peri-Carcone