Fabian Cancellara recognizes challenge ahead at Worlds
Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara has said that he would love to add a fourth World Championship title to his list of achievements this week.
The 29-year-old will race in the men's time trial on Thursday, where he will look to add to his victories from 2006, 2007 and 2009. In 2008, Cancellara withdrew from the competition with mental fatigue.
"I want to make history there with the fourth title," said Cancellara, who is not alone in having won three gold medals at the Worlds time trial. "Mick Rogers and I are both tied for the title now with three wins, it would be great to do better than him."
Good results in 2010
Cancellara, who has been linked with several teams ahead of next season despite his contract with Bjarne Riis' Saxo Bank outfit (he is signed until 2012), has had a promising build-up to this week's competition, which gets underway on Tuesday.
At the Tour de France in July, the Swiss won both time trials and held the yellow leader's jersey for five stages. He also won the prologue in the Tour de Suisse, but came third in the Vuelta a Espana time trial two weeks ago.
Faced with a climbing route on Thursday, Cancellara said he expects a challenging race. "It is not enough to be strong. It is a difficult race due to the four climbs, two climbs each lap. You have to have a tactical approach to the race, you have to dose
your effort."
Martin and Porte will challenge
Tony Martin, who defeated Cancellara at the Tour de Suisse time trial this year, has targeted an exciting duel between the two at the Worlds. Home rider Richie Porte, Cancellara's Saxo Bank teammate, will also be in contention.
"He surprised the team and the cycling world with a super-great performance in the Giro d'Italia and also the rest of the season," Cancellara said of Porte, who held the Giro's pink jersey for three consecutive stages in May. "For me, for [his] first year
as a professional, it has been a great season and he will have a huge future."
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