Good stage and a heli lift with Tiro and Alberto

“I think I can be pleased with my performance. I kept fighting to the finish. I eased off on purpose on the way up to Finestre. I knew that if I had pushed harder I wouldn´t have bounced back. That is why I followed my own pace up there and Tiralongo helped me out a lot. In general, the whole team did a great job once again,” Roman said.He pulled off an excellent ride on the downhill when he rejoined the leading group. “I had to take risks a bit but that is a part of professional cycling. Then I was feeling quite good except for the last climb on Sestriere where I got cramps. I recovered pretty well and I can look positively on this stage.”Roman is now sitting in seventh place overall, losing one minute on Rodriguez who is fifth, and only 15 seconds on Rujano. “ I believe that I will give Rodriguez two minutes and I should beat Rujano as well, but Menchov will be a threat. It´s going to be a big fight but it is doable for me to finish in the top five,” Roman added.Today he took advantage of a helicopter transfer to the hotel as he had mentioned before the stage. “We had arranged for a chopper to pick us up beforehand. I flew together with Tiralongo, our masseur Nakano and since there was one place left, we took Contador as well. I´d been in a chopper for the first time in my life and It was a nice experience and the view from up above was spectacular,” described Roman his extraordinary experience.Stage 20 (Verbania-Sestriere, 242 km): 1st Kirijenka (Blr/Movistar) 6:17:03, 2nd Rujano (Ven/Androni) +4:43, 3rd Rodriguez (Spa/Katusa) +4:50, 4th Betancourt (Col/Acqua e Sapone) +5:31, 5th Gadret (Fra/AG2R) +5:54, 6th Scarponi (Ita/Lampre), 7th Kruijswijk (Ned/Rabobank), 8th Contador (Spa/Saxo Bank), 9th Menchov (Rus/Geox) +5:58, 10th Roman Kreuziger (Cze/Astana) +6:16.Overall Standings: 1st Contador 83:34:25, 2nd Scarponi +5:18, 3rd Nibali (Ita/Liquigas) +6:14, 4th Gadret +7:49, 5th Rodriguez +9:27, 6th Rujano +10:23, 7th Roman Kreuziger +10:38, 8th Menchov +10:51, 9th Kruijswijk +12:56, 10th Nieve (Spa/Euskaltel) +12:57.