CANCELLARA: “I ALWAYS HAVE TO WIN PROLOGUES”
As double world time trial champion and Tour de France prologue winner in 2007, Fabian Cancellara is always under pressure to win prologue time trials but admitted he enjoys winning the big ones.
The giant Swiss rider had impressed at the recent CSC training camp in Malibu and stormed round the t 3.4km flat Tour of California prologue that finished in the grounds of Stanford University, setting a time of 3-51.211. Bradley Wiggins was second but a significant four seconds slower.
?In short time trials I have to win but when it?s a big event I get more out of it, more satisfaction out of it,? Cancellara said.
?Making history is good and gives you an extra boost. When I won in London it was on 07/07/07. Here we?re in Stanford University at the start of the Tour of California, which is a very important race for CSC. I thought I?d have to do a 3-50 to win and doing a 3-51 is not bad.?
?In short time trials you really need to kick ass, as you say. People start too fast or go over the limit in the first few metres. The prologue looks really short but it?s really long. You can?t give everything too early because the last kilometre is longest and every metre is hard.?
Cancellara will start Monday?s first road stage from Sausalito to Santa Rosa in the leader?s yellow jersey. He knows he is not an overall contender but wants one of his CSC team mates to win.
?Today is today and tomorrow we?ll see the real Tour of California start,? he said in his mix of Swiss, Italian and English.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
?It?s a harder course than last year. There are better riders here but in our team we have a lot of cards play. I did a good job in the prologue, we started good, but we want to win the race. We?re here to win, we?ve trained hard at our training camp in the Malibu hills and so we?ll have to see what happens all week. It?s important our team wins, be it me or Bobby (Julich) or Stuey (O?Grady) or Jens (Voigt). If we win I?m happy. That?s what I want to give to team.?
It was pointed out that the prologue podium contained three riders from teams (CSC, High road and Slipstream) that all have extensive internal doping programmes. Cancellara agreed that it was a vital sign for the future after the doping scandals of the past.
?I think its important that there?s not only three teams are going fight (doping). Everybody has to fight,? he said.
?The biological passport is a good thing. I did 35 or maybe 40 controls last year and even had one last night just ten minutes into my massage. That?s a lot and they affect you but we have to do them. I hope other teams will do the same.?
?We need cycling to go well now. I hope my win helps. Look how many people were watching the race. That?s real passion for cycling and we have to help that grow.?
RELATED LINKS
Tour of California, video highlights: Prologue
Tour of California, prologue: report and results
Wiggins and Millar unhappy with prologue rides
Tour of California: preview
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video.
-
"I would like to go to America and experience it" Conor Swift talks gravel racing tactics and bike tech ahead of the UCI Gravel World Championships
The Brit hopes to score a result at World Champs today, but hinted that racing further afield could be a possibility in future
By Joe Baker Published
-
Revealed: Mathieu van der Poel's Gravel World Championship bike setup
Mathieu van der Poel opts for a gravel-specific bike to tackle the single track roads around Leuven
By Joe Baker Published