Aussie champion Jack Bobridge has spoken to Cyclingnews to discuss his last two outing at home, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race and the Jayco Herald Sun Tour. He also spoke about his goals for the rest of the year, like the Olympics and getting a new contract with Trek-Segafredo.
"Cadel's race is a race that I think can suit me, it’s a pretty tough, pretty hard race," Bobridge told Cyclingnews. "I didn’t get to do it last year, or the Sun Tour, but I definitely think the course on paper should suit me. Obviously we are going to be a strong team but I am not sure yet what the ambitions are or who the protected rider will be but for sure, at Cadel’s race I’d like to be up there and having a go."
"I’ve heard whispers from a few people this year that the Sun Tour course is pretty difficult as well and I’ve seen there are several meters of climbing each day so hopefully that plays into my hands and I can have a good week there as well," he added of the stage race. "I’ve only done the Sun Tour once and that was in the national jersey, obviously it was a different time of the year, it was the end of the season so the levels of everyone a bit different after a season of racing."
Bobridge confimed he is on the team’s provisional Tour de Romandie and Giro start lists. His biggest goal is to take gold in Rio as part of the Australian team pursuit.
"I guess Beijing and London, you get a fourth and second so it always keeps you that little bit hungry," he said of his appetite for victory. "Gold is what we want, anything less would be an upset for sure. It only comes along every four years. I think at this point in time we are on track, we are on schedule to do what we want to do. We can only worry about what we are doing, we can’t worry about what other countries are doing. There are other countries putting their hands up every World Cup and at Worlds."
Bobridge also has his eyes on riding the road worlds time trial, which he has only done once before, taking fifth in 2011.
"My ambition at the start of the year was to target the Worlds time trial. Obviously the nationals didn’t go to plan in the time trial, there is Romandie and the Giro to still put your hand up for the time trial," he said. "I think the guys who do the time trial at the Olympics will be ready, but I don’t know if they will be capable of going to Worlds if they have peaked for the Olympics."
Finally, he wants to remain WorldTour in 2017, hoping to get a new deal with the team for the future.
"I only have a short, small window to get re-signed but I guess winning the road nationals was one tick of the box but I have to keep in mind that it is January and still early in the season so I have to be consistent through Romandie and the Giro, and then obviously in the races that I do i after the Games, I need be consistent and show something there and hopefully I can tick another box for Luca to give me a chance next year."
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