Chance for Deignan to get back to best form

CYCLING: IRISH PROFESSIONAL Philip Deignan has an excellent opportunity to get his career back on track next year when he lines out alongside Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre in the new Cervelo Test Team squad.

The Letterkenny rider is one of the most promising Irish cyclists, as evidenced by his 10th, 12th and 16th places on mountain stages of the 2007 Vuelta a España, but he had a disappointing season this year.

Deignan was expected to progress and further develop as a strong climber, but instead spent much of the season struggling in races.

"This year was a big disappointment for me," he said. "I was hoping for a lot more, and hopefully I will put that right next year. I'm not quite sure what was wrong - I got sick a few times with colds and flu, but every cyclist gets those and normally recovers in a week or 10 days. I think, perhaps, I was overtrained. I only took a few days off after the end of the 2007 season, then got back into training.

"The Ag2r team coach also had me doing six or seven-hour training spins and I think that didn't do anything for me."

Lining out alongside Tour winner Sastre is undoubtedly a big morale boost for him, and so too the prospect of helping the Spaniard defend his title next July.

Deignan has yet to start the Tour de France but if he gets back to top form, he is likely to be one of Sastre's helpers in the mountains.

Deignan will move to Girona and share an apartment with Daniel Martin, the 22-year-old Irish rider who had a superb debut season as a professional.