Interview: Oscar Pereiro
On the comeback trail, Oscar Pereiro of team Caiss d'Epargne talks about his progress and his experience in Paris - Nice.

Six months after his terrible crash during Stage 15 on the descent of the Col of the Agnello during last the Tour de France, Oscar Pereiro started competing again last January in Australia on the occasion of the Tour Down Under. Today, He draws up the assessment of the beginning of his season 2009.

2006 Tour de France Atage 9: Oscar Pereiro leads the chase on the Galibier followed by Iban Mayo, Michael Rasmussen, Alejandro Valverde and Andréas Klöden, in the background Levi Leipheimer,Kim Kirchen and Cadel Evans Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti

How do you feel two months after having starting competing again?

“Very happy and the most important point is that I keep on improving every day. I just miss a few things to be able to be in front. But I am not in a hurry and I do not force more than necessary. In the Mediterranean Turn or Paris-Nice, two races which we won with Luis León Sánchez, I felt each day better and completed the required job, even if I still miss something to be able to follow the rhythm of the competition when it becomes very high. I believe that in the circuit of the Sarthe and in the Classics I will be already with the best riders and, before re that, in the Criterium International I will be able to know which is my level in an important time trial.”

Oscar Pereiro Photo courtesy of Abarca Sports

Do you still feel side effects of your crash in the Tour de France?

“Very few actually, but from time to time I still feel something in my left arm. For example, in the stage of Paris-Nice which finished in Fayence, after going up and down the whole day through, I finished with little cramps in the arm. It was more tired than it should be but that is very normal, because I still need to reinforce the muscles. The most important for me is that I suffer no after-effects from a psychological point of view. I try to make the descents in front of the bunch and I already do it without almost any fear.”

What was most difficult: starting training again or to come back to the races?

“Without any doubt the competition, because the rhythm is very different from that which one can adopt in a training session. The chance was to start racing very early in Australia, where the rhythm was not so high yet. In Paris-Nice, it was very different! It is very difficult to resist at such a high rhythm, but I will be able to do it very soon.”

Will you be next Saturday at the start of Milan-Sanremo?

“Yes. It is the ideal occasion to dispute a longer race and of course my objective will be also to help Luis León Sánchez and José Joaquín Rojas to win the race, even if it is very complicated to be the first in the ‘Primavera’. I will later take part in the Criterium International where, if the weather is good, I hope be with the very best. Later, my program foresees the three Classiques (Amstel, Flèche and Liège) and then I would like to race somewhere else before going to the Dauphine and then the Tour.”

2008 Tour de France stage 2: Top G.C. Team Caisse d'Epargne on the podium. Photo © 2008 Fotoreporter

• Discuss the sport with fans from around the world on the Daily Peloton Forums & Chat Room.
• Sponsor the daily peloton - advertise your product - contact us.
• Would you like to try your had at writing about the sport? contact us.