Paris. Carlos Sastre left the secondary role of actor and 33 years be asked to play. "I want the team working for me on the Tour," he told his team director, Bjarne Riis.
And did not disappoint. For the first time attracted all hotbeds for him, a humble and discreet corridor that is now champion. Along with Francisco Mancebo, David Navas, Pablo Lastras and his brother-in-law, the late Jose Maria Jimenez, Sastre belonged to one of the most promising generations of Spanish cyclists.
They were formed at school cycling own Sastre's father, Victor, founded in 1982 with the support of another illustrious cyclist, Angel Arroyo, second in the Tour in 1983. Yesterday this work gave fruit with the triumphant tour of the CSC rider on the Champs Elysees.
"Illusion, respect and sacrifice" was and remains the motto of the school where those cyclists were forged before becoming a part of the historic amateur team of Miguel Indurain's Banesto. "For discrepancies with the leaders I left the computer that always dreamed to be," said Sastre. It was when he decided to go to eternal rival, Eleven of Manolo Sáiz, to continue his progression. After three years at Eleven, the Danish Riis decided chips in 2001 to join the newly formed CSC.
It was a perfect companion for Tyler Hamilton and Ivan Basso, until a few months ago claimed to be the number one ahead of younger brothers Frank and Andy Schleck. Riis commented that "Carlos is the best of its regularity." "Never has a bad day in the making 'crash'.
He was confident that with a few more years of experience, the podium was within reach. I believe that with the victory of Charles begins a new era for cycling, "said the champion in Paris in 1996. Precisely its progression on the Tour since his first participation in 2001, when he was twentieth, has been steady, slowly but surely: tenth in 2002, ninth in 2003, eighth in 2004, two hundred and third in 2005 was because he worked for Basso, who finished second; was third in 2006 and fourth in 2007.
In the CSC team shared with the Frenchman Laurent Jalabert in his last year as a professional. "This is the man whom he most admired, as rider and as a person," said Sastre. It was in 2003, the centenary of the Tour, when he won his first major stage in Aix-3-Domaines in the Pyrenees, after a brilliant escape. Jalabert what qualifies as "a discreet corridor, a strong personality who has managed to make more sound decisions at every moment."
