Chris Sutton is looking to build on his Tour Down Under heroics when Team Sky head to the Tour of Oman at the end of this week.
In-form sprinter looks to build on Adelaide success
Chris Sutton is looking to build on his Tour Down Under heroics when Team Sky head to the Tour of Oman at the end of this week.
Sutton helped Team Sky round off a hugely successful debut when landing the sixth and final stage of the TDU in Adelaide and he now jets to the Persian Gulf as part of an eight-man line-up for the first-ever Tour of Oman, which runs from February 14-19.
He'll be joined by five of the riders currently in action in Qatar (Edvald Boasson Hagen, Juan Antonio Flecha, Geraint Thomas, Ian Stannard and Lars-Petter Nordhaug) and two of the men who played such a key role in Australia; Mathew Hayman and Davide Viganò.
And Sutton was quick to emphasize the importance of teamwork throughout the Adelaide event, saying: "The whole squad just worked so well together - we'd do anything for each other. We're a new team and I guess you could say there were ups and downs but when it all comes together it pays off."
That was underlined in style when Greg Henderson and Sutton bagged a one-two in the opening criterium and the Team Sky lead-out train was again in full effect when that pair filled the first two places in the TDU's finale, Sutton taking the plaudits this time.
"It was the whole team - it really was," insisted Sutton. "It all started with Froomey, taking us up the climb and getting us up to the front, and then Russell Downing - we call him the little bulldog - just drilled it on the front with his never-say-die attitude.
"Then you've got Davide Viganò and he did a huge turn and ripped it up through the park section, handing on to Mat Hayman who just got faster and faster. It's then Swifty, me and Hendy, the three sprinters with 300 metres to go and to wreck it from there would have been a shame but it worked out to perfection."
Putting the team first
Sutton, who also collected stage victories at both the Tour of Britain and the Jayco Herald Sun Tour at the backend of 2009, is now hoping to continue the run of success in Oman, though once again he'll do whatever is required by the team.
He said of his build up to the race: "I felt a bit heavy after the Tour Down Under but the training's been going really well this week. I've felt stronger which is good so I've got a couple of days to freshen up and hopefully I'll be moving alright when I get to Oman.
"I'll just do whatever is asked of me," added Sutton. "I'll go there and I'll be working with Edvald Boasson Hagen. We'll see how he pulls up after Qatar and he's clearly going alright there. But if he's not up to it at any point then obviously I'll step up and take the sprinter's role.
"I'll be talking with the director, Steven de Jongh, when I get there and we'll just see what the best plan is. He's in Qatar now so is clearly going to know how everyone comes out of that."
Spring in his step
After the Tour of Oman Sutton will take in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne but he's already got more than half an eye on the Spring Classics.
He explained: "After Oman I have to be good for that one week in April when I need to play my role for Mat Hayman, Juan Antonio Flecha, Edvald Boasson Hagen and Kurt Arvesen, if he's back from his [broken] collarbone.
"I'll be trying to learn from them too but I'll be doing everything possible to make sure those guys get the easiest ride that they can, especially in Roubaix."
