Roman eyeing Giro and Vuelta next year

“The structure of my race schedule was completely my idea. I was glad to have been given a free choice about deciding which races to put on my agenda. I consulted some items with the sports manager Martinelli and we tuned up some details. These races should suit me best in next season. Besides, there is plenty of room for high altitude camps,” Roman added. 
 
When asked what had made him choose the Giro over the Tour, it was the two long time trials that he was concerned about. “The Tour is going to suit riders with good time trail skills and I wouldn’t be probably able to match these riders even though I have improved my time trialling abilities a lot. The parcours of the Giro is much more bearable than this year. And most importantly, when comparing the route of both races I prefer the structure of the Giro. I think there is a real chance that I will make the podium,” said one of the Astana´s leader. 
 
Roman has finished designing his race schedule for 2012. “The early-season program will be pretty much the same before the Giro. I have only made some changes in the second half of the season. My feelings will play a decisive role, though,” Roman said. 
 
After a series of training camps Roman will start out the season with the stage race Tour of Sardinia in February. “I swapped this race for the Algarve. I won the Tour of Sardinia last year when riding for Liquigas. It is a race that should suit my abilities and it is ideal for the start of the season,” he revealed. Another significant change in his program is his participation in Tirreno-Adriatico instead of Paris-Nice. “I´ve never ridden Tirreno before so I´ve decided to give it a try.” 
 
As for the early part of the season, Roman is set to ride the Trentino and the Tour of Romandy, among other races. He will ride only the Lige-Bastogne-Liege from the spring Classics and the one-day race Strade Bianche in Italy in March. 
 
After the Giro, he is planning to take a longer break. “I should get back to racing at the Tour of Poland,” he stated. “Then I will participate in the Tour of Wallonia, the Olympics, the San Sebastian and the Vuelta. I would also like to ride the Worlds in Holland because I have heard that the course should be pretty tough. If everything goes as planned I will end the season at the Tour of Lombardy,” he outlined his planes for the second half of the season.