5 questions with cyclist David Zabriskie

Salt Lake City's David Zabriskie is one of the best cyclists in the world. He owns the record for the fastest time trial victory in Tour de France history and is a three-time U.S. time trial champion. The quirky cyclist from Olympus High has stage wins in each of professional cycling's Grand Tours and will be racing the Tour de France again for the next three weeks with his Garmin-Slipstream team. Deseret News writer Jared Eborn caught up with the former Yellow Jersey wearer — on the phone, not his bike — this week to ask him a few questions.

Question: Hard to believe another Tour de France is already here. How has your training been?

Answer: I'm always excited to do it. I'm ready to go. I've been over here for a couple of months and my training has been really strong. It really helps to go ride and look at some of the stages. I'm race ready.

Question: You just completed the Giro d' Italia. How was that race and where does that leave you for the Tour de France.

Answer: I loved the Giro. I came out of that a lot better than I went in. My legs are feeling strong and I'm not climbing too bad right now. I should be right there on the hilly (stages).

Question: Your 2008 season was kind of a disappointment with the injury (a broken back bone suffered in the Giro d'Italia). Has that given you any more fire going into this season?

Answer: I look forward to the Tour every year. I'm not thinking at all about last year because that wouldn't do me any good. I'm already feeling the fire. I don't need any motivation to feel the fire.

Question: How will your team, Garmin-Slipstream, do in the Tour? Will you have the guns to fight it out with Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador and Levi Leipheimer?

Answer: We can't worry too much about other teams. We have a pretty strong team and if things go well I think we can be right there in the GC (general classification) at the end. We'll do our best and I think we'll have a good chance to win some stages and hopefully be in a good position. We're kind of not sure who our leader will be because Christian has been hurt and not really ready to go. It's impressive that he's even going to be racing.

Question: With a nice time trial (15.5 km in Monaco) right out of the gate, are you looking forward to making a statement on the first day?

Answer: That first day is big for everyone. But time trials seem to suit me. So I'll definitely try for all of those. I'm going to give it everything I have and see where that leaves me. I'd love to win that one and be in yellow again.