Menchov motivated for Tour return

Denis Menchov said missing last year’s Tour de France with his ill-fated Geox-TMC leaves him with even more motivation to go back to try to become the first Russian winner of the French race.

Menchov, speaking in an interview with Reuters, said he believes he still has chances of winning the Tour despite turning 34 this year.

“In a way it has helped me recharge my batteries,” Menchov told Reuters in an interview during the Katusha team presentation in Moscow earlier this week.

“There’s no point for me in dwelling on the past. I’m a firm believer that whatever happens to you in life must have a reason. So rather than sit here and curse my bad luck, I want to look on the positive side,” Menchov said.
“I had a chance to watch the race from the outside, analyse it. It has given me a different perspective on the race. Not being part of the Tour last year definitely made me more determined to try to win it.”

Menchov has won the Giro d’Italia (in 2009) and the Vuelta a España twice (2005 and 2007) and came third in the Tour in 2010. This year’s course, with nearly 100km of individual time trials, plays into the Russian’s hands.

“In my career I’ve won just about every thing else except the Tour,” said Menchov, whose best finish was third in 2010. “I’ve been close a couple of times, reached the podium…but you always dream of getting to the top. Having that yellow jersey is what really matters.”