Cancellara Won Tirreno-Adriatico
[18.03 16:38] On Tuesday Fabian Cancellara secured himself the perfect birthday present, when the strong Swiss rider took the overall victory in the big Italian stage race Tirreno-Adriatico.
The final stage – a 176-kilometer route with start and finish in San Benedetto del Tronto – was won by Francesco Chicchi (Liquigas) ahead of Danilo Napolitano (Lampre). It started to rain during the final laps so Team CSC had to be careful to avoid any further crashes and at the same time try to maintain the overall lead and luckily the mission was accomplished.
"I didn't actually come to Tirreno expecting to win the race, but when the opportunity came along of course I went for it. It's an important victory in itself and it's a great result for both me and the team," said Fabian Cancellara following the last stage and continued:
"It got a bit tough towards the end, when it started to rain, but luckily everything went according to plan and we have every reason to celebrate tonight. And after that I've got a couple of days to rest before Milano-Sanremo."
Regarding Milano-Sanremo the Swiss Team CSC rider had the following comment:
"I don't consider myself a favorite for this race – after all it almost always ends up being a sprinter's finish. But of course should the opportunity arise we'll play our cards as best we can," concluded Cancellara.
Sports director Lars Michaelsen added:
"There's no doubt that to be able to win a race like Tirreno-Adriatico takes both a certain amount of skill as well as a good portion of stubbornness. But although you possess those qualities you also have to have your team behind you otherwise it won't work, which was the case for us. This is a great indication for the oncoming races and it just goes to show that Team CSC also has a number of other brilliant riders besides Fabian."
"This victory is the best possible kick-off ahead of the classics. It's given us a great confidence boost and lifted our spirits in a big way," said Lars Michaelsen.
San Benedetto del Tronto, 176km; Results |
