Andrey Amador (Movistar Team) came back to his beloved Costa Rica after a long season, in which he had shown some glimpses of the form in the first part, but then did not shine as expected in the Tour de France and in the final stretch of 2013. He’s performance in recent months has not lived up to the expectations, with his feelings described simply as horrible, and at least now we know the reason. According to esciclismo.com, it’s mononucleosis that has affected and has not allowed him to perform at his top level.

Amador was very excited to excel after the Tour de France, where he hoped to have been closer to a stage win, similar to the one that he took during Giro d'Italia 2012. None of it has occurred, thus both La Grande Boucle and second part of the season turned out to be highly disappointing.

"I think it has been bad, frustrating, I have trained on high altitudes after the Tour but results do not arrived, I was not feeling as I wanted. Before China, I did a blood test and discovered that there was a virus of mononucleosis. I estimate that I suffered from it from August to September," reveals Costa Rican.

That explains his performance after his return to racing in late August.

"We discovered that I had diminished but I could not understand what was happening. On the Tour I felt relatively well, but then when I went back to training I felt tired, sleepy, had a headache, a sore throat, my eyes watered even what we attributed to a sight problem. During the race, I was totally empty, no strength, and did not understand why, it was almost impossible to be so bad, "he explains.

Now he is "quite calm to know the source of that frustration at the physical level."

"The virus is now in its final phase, I will only, with rest, now try to control it and regain day by day good sensations," he says.

For Amador it was a very long season, started with the Tour Down Under, and completed with the Tour of Beijing. His best results, occurring only on its first part, were eighth place in overall standings of the Tirreno – Adriatico with third place on the final time trial, when he was surpassed only by Martin and Malori; tenth place in the Ghent-Wevelgem and finishing fifth on the Tour de Suisse ITT.

"I started quite well, I have been defeated on some finishes, but I confirmed that I have qualities to be in front doing things right, then I broke, as usual, the collarbone, and then came the Tour," he recalls.

While still recovering from mononucleosis during his holidays in Costa Rica, Amador is very determined to start early preparations for the new season. Although his racing calendar is still to take its final shapes, he hopes to follow last season’s pattern.

"I want to make a very good preparation, but first I must rest well, regain confidence to return to perform and contribute well to the team. I'll Be in Costa Rica from November to mid-December, to switch off and be with family and friends, also take advantage of the good weather. Time passes quickly and soon we will be in Australia or Argentina ".

"I would like to make a schedule similar to 2013, with classics like Tirreno and Ghent-Wevelgem. And return to the Giro. Among the Grand Tours this one I like most and I have a very special memory connected with winning a stage in 2012. Tour de France, yes, is the number one race where we all want to be, but there is a lot of tension and in the end it’s about surviving following weeks. Giro seems more beautiful, every day there are ambushes, and personally I would run it," he says