<p>Peter Velits has re-adjusted his goals in the Tour de France and looks forward to the coming years. He began with high hopes, a top 20 or maybe even a top 10. He wanted to use his strong time trial and work his way to a top spot, bettering his 18th place overall.</p><p>
</p><p>
"Everyone was saying this year's Tour is not going to be very hard. It doesn't seem so difficult without the hors-catégorie uphill finishes, but yesterday's stage was very hard. So, definitely, these days made the Tour very hard. It's not like everyone is saying, this race is not easy," Velits explained outside the OmegaPharma-Quick Step team bus.</p><p>
</p><p>
"My goal? For sure, it was to place better than 18th, as I did last year. I'm not where I expected, but okay, it's a good experience. I know where I need to improve for next year. It's not the end of the world. I'm really happy with how I've been time trialling, I can ride in the top ten and that's good for the next years."</p><p>
</p><p>
OmegaPharma-Quick Step backs its 27-year-old Slovak. It signed him over the winter based on his passed performance with HTC-Highroad and with the idea to develop him even future.</p><p>
</p><p>
Velits placed second in the Vuelta a España two years ago. Last year, he helped HTC to a team time trial win and won the long TT stage in Peñafiel. This year, he defended himself against Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) and won the Tour of Oman overall.</p><p>
</p><p>
"I expected a little bit more to be honest. I feel all right, but I suffer in the climbs, especially in the steep ones. It shows in the time trials and the steady climbs that I'm all right, it's just the steep climbs where I am having problems," Velits said.</p><p>
</p><p>
"OK, though, I'm going to think about it after the Tour, now I'm going to focus on finishing his Tour."</p><p>
</p><p>
Velits is also dealing with a chest cold and taking antibiotics. He reckons it's going through the team as Sylvain Chavanel also suffered from it before abandoning.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It's not so far to Paris," he added, "just a flat stage and time trials."</p><p>
</p><p>
Velits will focus on Paris and then plan for future Grand Tours. He knows he suffers on the first big mountain stages in Grand Tours. This year, he lost time on the first mountaintop stage to La Planche des Belles Filles.</p><p>
</p><p>
He currently sits 29th behind overall leader Bradley Wiggins (Sky).</p><p>
</p><p>
"Next year, I need to think about changing my training to get better in the climbs. I need to work more on the climbs, especially on the steep climbs," he said.</p><p>
</p><p>
"I know how my body works. I really suffered when I need to go deep for the first time in a Grand Tour. When we raced to [La Planche des Belles Filles], when Chris Froome won, it was steep, it was hard, but it was not long. I really suffered and I couldn't go. The next day was already better. So, I really need one day and then I can deal with the lactate acid. I know what to do for next year."</p>
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</p><p>
"Everyone was saying this year's Tour is not going to be very hard. It doesn't seem so difficult without the hors-catégorie uphill finishes, but yesterday's stage was very hard. So, definitely, these days made the Tour very hard. It's not like everyone is saying, this race is not easy," Velits explained outside the OmegaPharma-Quick Step team bus.</p><p>
</p><p>
"My goal? For sure, it was to place better than 18th, as I did last year. I'm not where I expected, but okay, it's a good experience. I know where I need to improve for next year. It's not the end of the world. I'm really happy with how I've been time trialling, I can ride in the top ten and that's good for the next years."</p><p>
</p><p>
OmegaPharma-Quick Step backs its 27-year-old Slovak. It signed him over the winter based on his passed performance with HTC-Highroad and with the idea to develop him even future.</p><p>
</p><p>
Velits placed second in the Vuelta a España two years ago. Last year, he helped HTC to a team time trial win and won the long TT stage in Peñafiel. This year, he defended himself against Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) and won the Tour of Oman overall.</p><p>
</p><p>
"I expected a little bit more to be honest. I feel all right, but I suffer in the climbs, especially in the steep ones. It shows in the time trials and the steady climbs that I'm all right, it's just the steep climbs where I am having problems," Velits said.</p><p>
</p><p>
"OK, though, I'm going to think about it after the Tour, now I'm going to focus on finishing his Tour."</p><p>
</p><p>
Velits is also dealing with a chest cold and taking antibiotics. He reckons it's going through the team as Sylvain Chavanel also suffered from it before abandoning.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It's not so far to Paris," he added, "just a flat stage and time trials."</p><p>
</p><p>
Velits will focus on Paris and then plan for future Grand Tours. He knows he suffers on the first big mountain stages in Grand Tours. This year, he lost time on the first mountaintop stage to La Planche des Belles Filles.</p><p>
</p><p>
He currently sits 29th behind overall leader Bradley Wiggins (Sky).</p><p>
</p><p>
"Next year, I need to think about changing my training to get better in the climbs. I need to work more on the climbs, especially on the steep climbs," he said.</p><p>
</p><p>
"I know how my body works. I really suffered when I need to go deep for the first time in a Grand Tour. When we raced to [La Planche des Belles Filles], when Chris Froome won, it was steep, it was hard, but it was not long. I really suffered and I couldn't go. The next day was already better. So, I really need one day and then I can deal with the lactate acid. I know what to do for next year."</p>
More...