Fabian Cancellara wins the opening stage of the Tour de France 2012
Fabian Cancellara of Team RadioShack-Nissan showed his brilliance during the opening stage of the Tour de France.
He rode brilliantly during the race and marked a perfect start to his Tour campaign with a first place finish during the 6.4 kilometre Individual Time Trial stage of the.
The Swiss crossed the finish line in a quickest time of 7 minutes and 13 seconds and restricted the pre-race favourite, Bradley Wiggins of Team Sky Procycling at the second position.
Sylvain Chavanel of Team Omega Pharma-QuickStep, Tejay Van Garderen of Team BMC and Edvald Boasson Hagen of Team Sky Pro Cycling occupied the third, the fourth and the fifth positions respectively.
“I thought about my wife, the baby that’s coming, about team that’s given me help, and I’m proud of having done the work I should have done,” Cancellara said after crossing the finish line.
“This victory is even more special than the other ones I’ve had in the Tour de France., Yes, I’m proud, which is important, and I’m also confident about the rest of the Tour”.
It was believed that the Swiss has lost his strengths but he has answered all his critics with an outstanding victory during the opening prologue of the Tour de France.
“I’m looking forward and not looking back. I’m here on the Tour de France not thinking about the past”.
The 31-year-old bagged 20 points and topped the point’s classifications at the race with Bradley Wiggins and Sylvain Chavanel at the second and the third positions with 17 and 15 points respectively.
Tejay van Garderen of Team BMC, Edvald Boasson Hagen of Team Sky Procycling, Patrick Gretsch of Team Argos-Shimano, Marcel Kittel of Team Argos-Shimano and Rein Taaramae of Team Cofidis were the top five young cyclists on the day.
Cancellara has now built the lead of 7 second on Bradley Wiggins after the stage 1 classifications.
Sylvain Chavanel of Team Omega Pharma-QuickStep, Tejay van Garderen of Team BMC and Edvald Boasson Hagen of Team Sky secured the next three positions.
Team Sky Procycling is leading the team’s classifications with Team RadioShack-Nissan, Team BMC, Team Omega Pharma-Quick Step and Team Orica GreenEdge holding the next four positions respectively.
Tags: