Ryan Anderson waiting for the right moment

As Team Spidertech p/b C10’s European stint enters its third week, Ryan Anderson is learning fast and waiting for his chances.

Anderson was the top Spidertech finisher at the squad’s first race of the 2011 season, crossing the line at the Trofeo Laigueglia in a respectable 13th place. The 24-year-old Vancouver resident is in his first season with Steve Bauer’s organization after two years with U.S.-based Kelly Benefit Strategies, but before that he raced for Canada’s former “dream team,” Symmetrics.

Anderson took the time to answer some questions for Canadian Cycling Magazine from the team’s hotel in Belgium, where he’s getting ready to compete in le Samyn Wednesday and 3 Days of West Flanders starting Friday.

Q. This is your first year in the Spidertech organization, but it’s brought you back together with quite a few of your former Symmetrics teammates. How important has that been for you?

A. I’m not just excited to be back with my former Symmetrics teammates. I’m just as excited to be with Martin [Gilbert] and Kev [Lacombe] and guys like Guillaume [Boivin] and Dave [Boily]. I’ve done a lot of national team races with these guys and they’ve always felt like teammates. This team is a bit like bringing my dream teammates together.

Q. The team’s stay in Europe is obviously important in terms of team building, fitness and honing the organization. What do you hope to get out of this first phase of the season?

A. I want to feel like we belong over here. And I think we did that in Ardeche. The team took responsibility after we missed the break and we rode the front for 180 km. If we continue to ride like that we’ll achieve that goal. Personally I haven’t picked out any race, but the team has shown confidence in me and are giving me support and that has been really motivating. I just want to race consistently and take opportunities as they come.

Q. It’s obviously early days yet, but you put in a solid ride in Laigueglia, which looked like a pretty tough day in the saddle (at least the finale looked pretty punchy on YouTube). How is your season shaping up? Are you ahead of where you expected to be at this point of the year?

A. No, I’d say Laigueglia answered some questions but its about where I wanted to be. I think it looks good for the rest of the spring

Q. You’ve raced all over the world — including plenty of stints in South America, which can be pretty hairy. How would you characterize your first taste of Italian racing in Laigueglia?

A. I actually did Mountain bike worlds in Italy as a junior in 2005. I’ve done other mountain bike races in Italy but Laigueglia was my first road race in Italy. I saw a lot of guys in green kit riding pretty good on the front when I was hanging on for dear life.

Q. What are your goals in Le Samyn?

5. I’m on deck to one of the guys protected for the finish. So, I really want to do well. I made some mistakes in the end of Ardeche and I learned from those. I could say in Laigueglia I waited a bit too much in the final, in Ardeche I tried to attack too early. Tomorrow in Le Samyn I want to pick the right moment, and I hope I’m still good at that point of the race.