David
Miller - British Road Race & Time Trial Champion
Thursday 6th September, 2007
by Ed Hood
Back in the UK, to win the British Cycling time
trial championships, David Millar took time out of his busy schedule
to speak to VeloResults.
VeloResults: Congratulations on the TT
championship win, that's both British champs jerseys in the wardrobe.
David: "I've never won either race before and after
the road race, I realised that I could fit the time trial in to my
schedule. I'm usually riding the Vuelta at this time of year, but
the team wanted me to do the Eneco and Poland Tours instead. It was
just something I fancied doing and it's turned out well."
Is it true you won both races so you won't
have to wear that Slipstream Argyle next year? "That's
just a daft story that's doing the rounds!"
We can almost imagine Dave's Felt next year
with Argyle replacing tartan!
How have Saunier been about you leaving?
"They've been really good. Saunier is Mauro Gianetti and
Matxin's (DS) team, there's no scope for me to get involved in how
the team operates. At Slipstream, one of the things that attracts
me is that Jonathan Vaughters has said that I will be involved in
how the team is organised, that's important to me and the guys at
Saunier understand that."
Your new squad, Slipstream: there's no
danger of it being another Mercury? Big plans, but no money? "None.
I know the people supporting the venture and they are all solid. Doug
Ellis, the guy behind it all has a whiter than white track-record,
financially and ethically. He has a certain vision for the team and
all the finance is in-place to realise that. He's a very ethical man
and we'll be taking a strong anti-doping stance, that's another attraction
about this set-up."
What about not being a ProTour team? "We're
comfortable we'll get wild-card entries for most of the programme
we want to race. The plan is to grow the team in an organic fashion
and look to go ProTour in 2009."
Will you be undisputed team leader?
"It's not going to be like that, we want to create a group
of riders who we get the best out of. I'll be leader, but we want
to get results too, from the untapped talent that's in the team."
Will you still stay in Girona?
"That's at the core of our vision for the team. Girona will
be our central base in Europe, we want to make a cultural change in
the team, from US-based, to European-based."
Will Slipstream still be on Felt bicycles,
next year? "That's the one thing that's decided,
equipment-wise. Decisions have still to be reached about wheels and
components, but the frames will be Felt. Thay are a small company
but very much performance-driven and that fits-in perfectly with our
ethic."
We shouted Dave up the climb of the Port de
Pailheres on Stage 14 of this year's Tour as he paced teammate Mayo
- he looked to be going pretty well to us!
Are you happy with your first full season
back? "It's been a tumultuous year for me, I was
going well early-on and then I had a couple of bad crashes. It's only
in the last few weeks I've started to feel like I'm going well again.
Overall, it hasn't been a fun year for me."
What about the Worlds? "My
final preparation will be the Tour of Poland then I'll be doing time
trial specific work with Matt Parker of British Cycling. The goals
are to be on the podium in the time trial and do as good a ride as
I can in the road race. I haven't ridden the circuit, but I believe
it's hard."
Dave answers questions at the Tour, the day
after Vino was ejected from the race.
Not a pleasant question, but your take
on the Mayo situation? "Gutted. A nice quiet guy
- it just goes to show that there's no "standard personality
profile" for guys that dope."
Final questions, are you happy with life
and are you looking-forward to next season? "Yes,
I'm enjoying life now and I can't wait for 2008!"
VeloResults
would like to thank David for his time,
and wish him all the best for the Worlds and for 2008.
(As long as we don't have to wear any Argyle!)
