There's just one stage left of the 2009 Giro d'Italia and Britain's Bradley Wiggins is ready for a final shot at a stage victory.
The Garmin-Slipstream rider spoke to Cycling Weekly after Thursday's stage to Benevento, and was already preparing for today's final time trial in Rome.
“I feel pretty good but I’m just trying not to do too much so I can give it everything in the time trial,” he told Cycling Weekly on the way to the Garmin team bus as he fought off the Italian kids who were trying to take his bottle.
“There are a lot of guys who are tired and so it’s almost easy to get in the break if you feel good. I’ve been holding myself back and today we had Pate and Julian Dean in there. Danny went close and it’s a pity he didn’t win because he’s a really nice guy.”
Wiggins finished fourth in the final time trial to Milan in last year’s Giro, 13 seconds behind Marco Pinotti. Tony Martin was second and Mikhail Ignatiev was third.
He is on far better form this year as he proved earlier in the Giro but knows he faces serious competition from Pinotti and Levi Leipheimer.
“Last year there were four of us who could have won it. We all finished in the gruppetto on the last mountain stage and then we were top four on the stage.”
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“We’ll see what happens on Sunday but it’s always difficult to make predictions because everyone is at different levels of fatigue. I’m sure that Pinotti, Levi and me are the ones on paper who could win it. Let’s hope it’s me.”
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Giro d'Italia 2009 links
Stage reports
Stage 20: Gilbert springs late attack to win penultimate stage
Stage 19: Sastre takes second Giro mountain stage; Menchov safe in pink
Stage 18: Second Giro stage win for Scarponi
Stage 17: Pellizotti wins on Blockhaus, Menchov remains in pink
Giro rest day review (May 26)
Stage 16: Sastre wins stage to Monte Petrano
Stage 15: Bertagnolli gifted stage win by Cervelo mix-up
Stage 14: Gerrans solos to win
Stage 13: Cavendish takes his third Giro win and prepares to head home
Stage 12: Menchov storms to Giro TT win and race lead
Stage 11: Cavendish romps to second Giro stage win
Stage 10: Di Luca lays down the gauntlet
Giro rest day review (May 18)
Stage nine: Cavendish blitzes rivals to win in Milan
Stage eight: Siutsou makes it two in a row for Columbia-Highroad
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