Rogers eyes podium finish
 Three time World Champion, Michael Rogers has his sights set on a podium finish in Thursday's elite men's time trial at the 2008 UCI road cycling World Championships being staged in Varese, Italy. "I feel I'm getting better and better as the year progresses and I haven't finished out of top three much since the Olympics so I think my condition is quite high and I hope to top it off with the last few races," said Rogers who a week after the Olympic Games lined up in the Eneco Tour ProTour event (NED/BEL) where he was third overall and scored a solid fourth in the time trial stage. Earlier this month he finished second overall and scored second place on the time trial stage of the Tour of Missouri. "I'm quite happy with the form," he said. "I got a little flu just after Missouri but that's kind of passed without too many issues so overall quite happy. "I know this course (Varese) quite well and have had the chance to train over it since Beijing so I am really hoping to go back on the podium because it's been a couple of years since I've been on so certainly to jump up on the podium would be great and it's a very achievable goal," said Rogers who lives near Varese with his Italian born wife and their twin daughters." Rogers fellow Team Columbia professional rider Adam Hansen will also line up for Australia in the 43.70km race against the clock. "I'm pretty excited and it's always good to be here and have the opportunity to race it for Australia so I hope I can do something half good," said the reigning Australian Time Trial Champion who also secured the silver medal in the road race at the Australian Open Road Championships in Ballarat in January. "I haven't really set a goal because I've had a strange season and didn't really have the opportunity I would have like to do time trial training this year because of a heavy race program but I like the course." Meantime Victorian William Walker has been added to the Australian 'Cyclones' line up for the elite men's road race after the withdrawal today of Stuart O'Grady from the team. "Stuey headed back to Australia after the Olympic Games for a short break and since returning to Europe has ridden a couple of races but has been feeling a bit flat," said National Performance Director, Shayne Bannan. "He doesn't think he's in the form he needs to be to do the job for Australia this weekend and rather than let down the team he's decided not to compete." The withdrawal of the South Australian has opened the door for Rabobank's Walker who lives and trains in Varese during the season and is very familiar with the course. He was also on the Australian team for last year's World Championships in Stuttgart. "I'm very, very happy about rejoining the team because it's a special honour to ride for Australia at the World Championships," said Walker. "The fact that it's a few kilometres from my house makes it even better." It's been a mixed year for Walker who has had his fair share of bad luck. "I've had a really hard year what with a virus that laid me low and then I was hit by a few cars which slowed me down a bit," he said. "I've been riding resonably well for the past couple of months though and when you ride for Australia you always ride above yourself and find something extra so I'm really motivated for Sunday." |
