TNT Sports
Hunter wants to win it
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Published 11/10/2002 at 11:52 GMT+1
Sunday's World Championships road race should confirm the domination of top cycling nations such as Italy and Spain but like in every major International event, smaller countries will have their say. eurosport.com spoke to Mapei rider Robert Hunter who will be leading the two-man South African squad. Despite the odds against him, the sprinter hopes to be one of Zolder's surprises.
Eurosport
Image credit: TNT Sports
Sunday's World Championships road race should confirm the domination of top cycling nations such as Italy and Spain but like in every major International event, smaller countries will have their say. eurosport.com spoke to Mapei rider Robert Hunter who will be leading the two-man South African squad. Despite the odds against him, the sprinter hopes to be one of Zolder's surprises.
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Competing in his third World Championships, Hunter will be taking part in both the time-trial and the road race but will be fully focused on trying to get a result on Sunday.
"My best chance is obviously in the road race on Sunday. In the time-trial, I'll give it a bash but not being the best specialist, I'll just get through it and will be hoping for the best on Sunday," he said.
Professional since 1999, Hunter has made a name for himself riding with Lampre and Mapei and winning stages on the Vuelta and the Tour of Netherlands.
Alone or almost he will be on the flat course of Zolder but remains a threat when it comes down to bunched sprints.
"The riders who do know me, know that I could be a threat if it comes down to certain situations. I don't think they just look at me and say 'Don't worry, he's on his own!'."
The plan for Hunter will obviously be to stay in the wheel of all his main rivals and possibly try to work things out with the leading nations.
"I'll obviously chat to as many people as I can, to find out a rough idea of what the plans are. I've chatted to Cipollini as well and he definitely wants it to come down to a bunched sprint," insists the Rabobank bound rider.
"In the first part of the race I'll want to see what the reactions are and what actually happens in the race to see if a group is going to manage to get away or not. From there I'll have to decide what are the best actions to take in the race."
And then hope for a surprise and why not clinch his first ever medal on a major event.
"I mean Romans Vainsteins won a couple of years ago in Plouay when he was racing with one other team mate as well."
"For riders, South Africa as a team is pretty much one rider. I am racing with somebody else (Tiaan Kannemeyer). He is the South African champion but he races locally in South Africa."
"It's very difficult obviously. There are a lot of Nations out there with twelve riders but at the end of the day with a bit of luck and if your condition is good, it's never impossible to come away with a victory."
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