Fabian Cancellara crashes in the velodrome after finishing final Paris-Roubaix (video)
Fabian Cancellara signs off from Paris-Roubaix in dubious style - crashing on his lap of honour and sliding into a puddle
Fabian Cancellara would have wanted to say goodbye to Paris-Roubaix by crossing the line first and sealing his fourth victory. Instead he finished on his backside after taking a tumble on his lap of honour.
The Swiss saw his chances of winning destroyed by a crash on the five-star Mons-en-Pévèle sector and he rolled in over three minutes down on winner Mathew Hayman.
But as he waved goodbye to his fans in the Roubaix velodrome he grabbed a huge Swiss flag on a stick to take with him on his lap.
Team Sky's Servais Knaven talks about Ian Stannard's podium finish at Paris-Roubaix
It backfired somewhat, with Cancellara losing some grip on his back wheel, skidding and finally crashing to the track and sliding down the boards into a puddle.
To be fair to the man, he styled it out somewhat - as much as you can when you're on your backside in a puddle, anyway.
It brought to an end Cancellara's storied cobbled Classics career, in which he won three Tours of Flanders and three Paris-Roubaix titles.
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Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.