Tinkoff-Saxo’s team captain Rafal Majka sits 3rd in the GC going into Wednesday’s decisive 38.7km, mainly flat time trial in Burgos. On the morning of the race, before leaving the team hotel to inspect the parcours, Majka elaborates on his and the team’s chances in the ITT and on the remaining stages with the overall classification in mind.
 
After 16 stages of Vuelta a España 2015, Rafal Majka is within striking range of a place on the podium in Madrid already holding 3rd place overall.
 
“The podium is possible. I’m not thinking about the overall win, because it will be very, very difficult. With 1’35” to Rodriguez and Dumoulin just behind it’s going to be close. But I want to try and I feel that my shape has improved during this Vuelta. I don’t have to think so much about my place in the GC but more about going full gas on the time trial and do the best result. The race is also not over after the time trial, we still have a long way to Madrid and some hard stages after the time trial”, says Rafal Majka and continues:
 
“Dumoulin is the favorite to win the Vuelta if you ask me, he is a specialist in the time trials. I’m a climber and not a TT specialist but I have done some good time trials recently and improved over the years. I’m not bad and I remember that I was happy with my time trial at Tour de Suisse and Romandie this year. The parcours is mainly flat and that is an advantage for Dumoulin, so I have to focus on not losing too much time to him and gaining time on Aru and Rodriguez. It’s the third week of the Vuelta, we’re late in the season and this time trial is just after the rest day – so everything can happen”, comments Majka who’ll be flanked by teammate, countryman and three-time national Polish TT champion Maciej Bodnar in the effort to reach a top result on the 38.7km parcours.

With three tough stages left to race before the concluding ride into Madrid on Sunday, Rafal Majka underlines that the Vuelta will not be irrevocably decided after Wednesday’s individual time trial.
 
“After the time trial we have to stay motivated because we still have three hard stages left, where there is the possibility to gain or lose time - also for the top GC riders, if someone has a bad day. The Vuelta is not over after the time trial. I have a strong team with me and Pawel Poljanski and Jesper Hansen have supported me a lot in the mountains. They have been able to stay with the favorites until the last kilometers and during the last three mountain stages they were so important for the team and me. In the end, I didn’t know how my shape would be after the Tour de France and we were hoping that I could fight for a top five. Now it’s the podium, so for sure I’m satisfied but it’s too early to make any conclusions. We still have five days to go”, concludes Rafal Majka.