They call him the `falcon' for his fearless downhill racing, but Paolo Savoldelli of Italy was keeping his feet firmly on the ground after his victory on the 17th stage of the Tour de France on Wednesday.
Savoldelli, the reigning Giro d'Italia champion who also won the race in 2002, claimed the second victory for a Discovery Channel rider on this year's race after dominating Norwegian Kurt Asle Arvesen in a two-man sprint to the finish line of the race's longest stage -- held over 239.5 km.
For a reputed climber and time trial rider, it wasn't a bad effort -- and it was certainly welcomed by Lance Armstrong's Discovery Channel team, which also celebrated George Hincapie's stunning stage win on Sunday in the Pyrenees.
PHOTO: AFP
After his maiden win on the race, the 32-year-old Savoldelli was expecting questions over whether he might be tempted to go for the yellow jersey next year.
Armstrong retires this Sunday, when -- failing catastrophe -- he will win a seventh conseuctive Tour de France crown.
However Savoldelli affirmed what most race fans already know -- the Tour de France, which is raced significantly faster than the Giro, is a more difficult challenge.
"I think to win the Tour de France you have to be very, very strong. And I feel attached the Tour of Italy. I don't think it would be possible for me to give up racing the Tour of Italy," said Savoldelli, who admitted he has been getting used to the idea of being a labourer for a designated team leader.
"It's the first time I've really been in a stage race and been a gregario [team worker,] and it takes a bit of getting used to. I've never been so tired after working so much for Lance this year. But I consider myself lucky. I've had quite a bit of luck this season," he said.
Luck has not always been on Savoldelli's side, however and goes a long way in explaining the massive hole in his list of honours.
After promising displays on the Tour of Italy in 1997 and 1998, when he came 13th then ninth respectively, Savoldelli took the runner-up place in 1999 when he finished 3:35 behind Ivan Gotti.
Savoldelli finally managed to dominate his three-week home race in 2002 when, without winning a stage, he managed to hold off the threat of American Tyler Hamilton who at the time was riding for CSC.
But after his victory, his only one that year, Savoldelli's career stalled.
He was involved in a crash which left him recovering for months, then when he was on his way back he was struck down by a fever.
As for the Tour de France, Savoldelli conceded that next year, it will be his compatriot Ivan Basso who will likely start as the favorite to succeed Armstrong.
"I think he's ready both mentally and physically to win the Tour de France next year," he said.
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