Spain has expected a podium finish on men's cycling road race with a strong team at the Beijing Olympics which will open on Friday, a Spanish cyclist said on Tuesday.

"To win an Olympic medal is important," said Samuel Sanchez at a news conference, held in the Main Press Centre (MPC) of the Olympiad.

The 30-year-old Spaniard, an Olympic debutant, was one of the five road cyclists including Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre, who was absent from the news conference because of the doping test, Tour de France champion in 2007 Alberto Contador, who would be here two days later, San Sebastian champion Alejandro Valverde and world champion Oscar Freire.

"The Spanish team is quite strong at the Beijing Olympics, but we have rivals like Paolo Bettini and Davide Rebellin from Italy, and Kim Kirchen from Luxembourg," said Alejandro Valverde, winner of one of the 24 stages in Tour de France this year.

Paolo Bettini was the champion at the Athens Olympics and first placer at the 2006 and 2007 world championships.

Valverde believed that for an athlete, to win an Olympic medal is something beautiful as the Olympic Games is the most important event, and to win for a team is more important than for an individual.

"The race is a team work," added Valverde, who was placed 47 at Athens Olympics.

He also said though the Spanish team is strong, it couldn't control the road race. "With just five players, we are very few," he said. "But we can capture which will be the best moment."

As to the Olympic Village, the Spanish cyclist said it is very good and everything is in order. "It's wonderful!" he said. The team arrived at Beijing on Wednesday.

According to the official website of Spanish Olympic Committee, a total of 19 ciclists would participate in the Beijing Olympics, including seven on road race, four on mountain bike cross-country and eight on track.

So far, Spain has won three Oympic gold in Cycling -- with Jose Manuel Moreno on one kilometer time trial in 1992 Barcelona, Miguel Indurain on road individual time trial in 1996 Atlanta and Joan Llaneras on points race in 2004 Athens.

(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2008)