quotes

I haven’t really paid too much attention to the soap operas surrounding Contador and Armstrong–It’s been going on for a while and nobody actually really cares about it anymore. Every time you open your mouth about these cases you get a great pile of shit over your head. I like Alberto and I hope that everything turns out ok for him, but that’s all I have to say about it

Tom Boonen speaking about the biggest doping scandals of 2012 – Tenspeed Hero.  Photo from SteepHill.

André is too, too strong. I think in this moment he is stronger than everybody.

Denis Galimzyanov after stage 1, Tour of Oman – Cycling News.  Greipel out sprinted Marcel Kittel (Project 1t4i), Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale), Andrea Guardini (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia), and Matt Goss (GreenEdge) to the line.  Big sprint names.  Mark Cavendish (Team Sky) lost contact with the lead bunch and finished 67th.

I was supposed to do the lead-out from 1km to go and I did that with my brother and Koldo [Fernandez] on my wheel.  At 700 metres there was a small corner to the left and normally my job [would be] over there, but my brother and Koldo left a gap because I went so fast in the corner.  I kept that gap until the finish!

Michel Kreder after taking the sprint victory on stage 2 of the Tour Méditerranéen – Velonation.  Sometimes winning is a bit of speed, some luck, and a bit of smarts – the latter of which was on Kreder’s brother and teammate Koldo Fernandez.  Well done.

I’ll be back.  I must continue, I haven’t broken anything.

alexander vinokourov, 2007 – cycling news.  even breaking his femur last year on the tour de france wasn’t enough to stop him.  initially, he announced his retirement, but a month later, he took it back.  you’ve got to love how passionate vinokourov is about racing.  pro.

photo from big ring riding.

I train with him and race with [andre greipel].  If he’s got a position he steps on it.  You know how much power he’s got.  I’m leading out at 70km/h and he just comes past me.  I just don’t understand how anyone can go so fast.  You’ve seen it.  He’s right up there with the likes of [Mark] Cavendish.  The two are going to have a great rivalry this year.

greg henderson (lotto-belisol), the missing link for greipel – cycling news.  photo from team sky.

I’m not a guy that really reads the Belgian press.  I think I’m pretty experienced in that regard, but if I read it, it still hurts me, so I don’t read it.  I know my weaknesses and I know my strengths …Everybody has to earn a living and the Belgian press is sometimes pretty critical. The Belgian public is pretty critical too, but I think it’s up to me right now for myself to be back on the level I was before.  I mean, I’m only 31, so I think I have a few good years left.  The problem was that last winter I was still recovering from the injury, I was doing a lot of efforts to get back on the same strength of the legs.  You’re not really training to be in shape for the season, you’re just trying to get back to a level that sees you get your fitness back. So in a way, you miss an entire winter.

tom boonen on the upcoming 2012 season – cycling news.  photo from steephill.