Winning the Tour is a dream not a goal: Fabian Cancellara
Fabian Cancellara of Team RadioShack-Nissan wins the opening stage of the Tour de France and won the yellow jersey right through the start of the race.
The Swiss is enjoying a terrific season and recently registered a first place finish at the National Time Trial Championships.
He finished first at the Strade Bianche, second during the Milan-San Remo and also grabbed stages at the Tirreno-Adriatico and the Tour de France.
Team RadioShack-Nissan is having a disastrous season and Cancellara seemed to be the only man who is making the team’s morale high.
The Luxembourg based team has been surrounded by a number of unfortunate events and despite being one of the most expensive sides, it has failed to mark an impression at the top level of the sport.
Andy Schleck is undoubtedly the best stage race cyclist and his exclusion from the Tour was a big blow for the team.
The three-time Tour de France podium finisher had his knee operated in May and has not fully recovered for the French Grand Tour.
On the other hand, Frank Schleck participated has ruled himself out of the Tour favourite’s list because of the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de Suisse fatigue.
Team RadioShack-Nissan Manager Johan Bruyneel has been formally charged by USADA for trafficking the UCI banned substances which also disturbed the team’s confidence.
Despite all the odds, one man stood for his team and has shown his dominance at the most exalted cycling race of the season, the Tour de France.
Cancellara has now held the yellow jersey for five consecutive days and is looking extremely good to challenge Bradley Wiggins and Cadel Evans for the overall classifications.
"Everything is possible in life if you believe in it,” he briefed after the stage 5.
“However, in my opinion, from what I've seen of the Planche des Belles Filles climb and what I've heard about it, it's a little bit too hard for me".
"I expect to see the GC riders creating some damage for the first time. But as long as I get to that stage with the yellow jersey then I will be happy and then after that we'll see".
The 31-year-old has now set up a new record of wearing the yellow jersey for a maximum number of 27 days throughout his career and has not succeeded at the Tour yet.
Top ten cyclists after the Tour de France stage 5 classifications is as below,
1
Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan
24:45:32
2
Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling
0:00:07
3
Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
4
Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
0:00:10
5
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling
0:00:11
6
Denis Menchov (Rus) Katusha Team
0:00:13
7
Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team
0:00:17
8
Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
0:00:18
9
Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Sharp
10
Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan
0:00:19
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