News: Fabulous Fabian captures second Flanders victory

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Fabian Cancellara wins the Tour of Flanders for the second time with another awesome display of power and endurance

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It was an impressive display of power. One vicious attack on the Paterberg after using the team to perfection put Fabian Cancellara in the winning position as he time trialed to Oudenaarde to claim the win in the Ronde Van Vlaanderen on Sunday.

Fabian said afterwards “This was an amazing team job. Everyone was against us and we just stayed focused. We came on the Oude Kwaremont for the last time and Gregy Rast said everyone looked tired, so I tried to do the first selection there.”

Video of the Finale

“Peter (Sagan) and I came up to Roelandts then and I knew I had to go again to get away from Peter. It happened like we’ve been planning for months. Hard work from me and the team and sacrificing time with our families. I can count on two hands the number of days I’ve been home this winter. It hasn’t been easy for my wife and kids but these are the hard choices we make.”

“My career won’t last forever so it’s important to pick moments to enjoy. This victory is for my family and team. They gave me so much support. And for the fans – it was a perfect day. My second win in Flanders has been exceptional. I will relax now and recover from this effort and see what happens next week,” he concluded, referring to Paris-Roubaix next Sunday.

Asked if he will be at Paris-Roubaix next Sunday, Fabian’s wife Stefanie said, “He deserves this so much after last year’s misery. Oh, yes, I will stay until Roubaix now.”

2013_Cancellera_Flanders

Cancellara attacked on the Oude Kwaremont to soften up the competition, with Peter Sagan on the wheel. Not wanting to take the sprinter to the line, Cancellara patiently waited for the Paterburg to put the final nail in the coffin, attacking from a seated position on the climb and immediately creating a gap. From then on it was time trial mode for the four-time world TT champion.”

Sagan (Cannondale) and Roelandts (Lotto-Belisol) rounded out the podium at well over a minute behind the Swiss champion.

Teamwork was the key ingredient in today’s win with every team rider playing a part in positioning Cancellara for the finale. One member of the armada was New Zealand’s Hayden Roulston.

Hayden: “This was a super win. Fabian was able to confirm what everyone thought before the race and that isn’t easy to do when you’re a big favorite. The team did our maximum and it was great to see Fabian win in that way. Early in the race we went to the front with our plan to keep everyone together and stay in the front. We knew we could react better from that place. It’s such a nice feeling to work so hard and then deliver the win. It’s good for the riders, the staff, the sponsors and our families. It’s pretty special. It’s easy to buy in to the plan when you have a leader like Fabian who can deliver.”

[pullquote]One year ago I was on the ground and now I’m back and I’ve won Flanders on the new course. It isn’t easy winning as the big favorite but I’m really happy. In the end it was a strange race, but strange good because I won!”[/pullquote]

Cancellara won the 2010 Tour of Flanders and wanted to repeat the effort after last year’s race-ending crash in the feed zone that took him out of the classics. Cancellara and his team have targeted this race since then.

Fabian explains “One year ago I was on the ground and now I’m back and I’ve won Flanders on the new course. It isn’t easy winning as the big favorite but I’m really happy. In the end it was a strange race, but strange good because I won!”

“It was so fast in the beginning and we had to take over early but I think that was the key. There were not so many riders left at the end. The team did a fantastic job and I did what I had to do: bring the Ronde Van Vlaanderen home.”

Stijn Devolder, winner in 2008 and 2009, was part of the winning team too, giving his all for leader Cancellara: “I’m happy to be able to do this today after some bad years. In the beginning of the race, I didn’t feel so good but I’m happy I was able to go on and help the team. The entire team did a super job.”

[pullquote]Peter Sagan -  Cancellara was simply the strongest today. I couldn’t do more than this. I have seen that I can win the ‘Ronde’.[/pullquote]

Peter Sagan Second
“Today’s second place is a great result,” says  Canndondale’s Peter Sagan. “I didn’t suffer any problems and I was able to do my best to stay in the front of the race. Cancellara was simply the strongest today. I couldn’t do more than this. I have seen that I can win the ‘Ronde’. I’m 23 years old, with many years in front of me to take it”.

“The race was hard for the entire day. At 140 km to go, I had a crash. I was eating, suddenly riders in front of me touched their brakes and I lost control of the handlebar. Nothing particular, just a loss of time. In the final part of the race, I controlled Cancellara, then when he attacked, I thought about maintaining the advantage with Roelandts ahead of the bunch.”

“Honestly, I don’t know if I had enough power for a good sprint. The rivalry between me and Fabian? It’s only about sport. The media maybe make it bigger than it really is. Out of the race, there are no problems between us, but when we have to challenge for a win I think it’s normal to be competitors. It’s only a show for cycling.”

Second place in the Tour of Flanders is the last of Sagan’s great results this Spring, after the win at Gent-Wevelgem, a stage at De Panne as well as the podium in Milan-Sanremo and Harelbeke. “I’m satisfied with these results,” added Sagan. “Only the sprint at the end of ‘Sanremo’ disappointed me, but for the rest I gave my all and achieved my maximum. Now I’ll prepare for Amstel Gold Race and I am also thinking about the Fleche Wallonne. If my condition is good, I could race it. I’ll decide with the team after the next race.”

Third Jürgen Roelandts (Lotto Belisol)
“Beforehand I had said that I wanted to take off before the final passage on the Oude Kwaremont, I had the legs today and decided to go for it. When only three riders joined me I first thought that weren’t many, because it was the right moment for riders from the second line to jump away.”

“But it turned out well for me (laughs). It definitely was a fantastic moment when I was riding solo on the final climb of the Oude Kwaremont. When I looked behind and saw two riders approaching, I didn’t have to think long to know who that could be.”

“I kept on believing in it, but I had already done quite an effort, but they had done that as well. It was impressive to see Fabian take off on the Paterberg. I saw that Sagan couldn’t follow him and on the top he wasn’t that far in front of me. After the Paterberg I joined Sagan and decided to give everything to be on the podium.”

Another favourite Tom Boonen crashed after only 19km of the tour of Flanders after hitting something in the road.

For Britain, Geraint Thomas was the country’s top finisher in 41st place with Russell Downing in 62nd, Luke Rowe 93rd and Ian Stannard 103rd.

Result
1 CANCELLARA Fabian RadioShack – Leopard 06:06:01
2 SAGAN Peter Cannondale Pro Cycling Team 01:27
3 ROELANDTS Jurgen Lotto Belisol Team 01:29
4 KRISTOFF Alexander Katusha Team 01:39
5 LADAGNOUS Matthieu Equipe Cycliste FDJ @ st
6 HAUSSLER Heinrich IAM Cycling @ st
7 VAN AVERMAET Greg BMC Racing Team @ st
8 TURGOT Sébastien Europcar @ st
9 DEGENKOLB John Team Argos – Shimano @ st
10 LANGEVELD Sebastian Orica GreenEDGE @ st
11 BOOM Lars Blanco Pro Cycling Team @ st
12 OSS Daniel BMC Racing Team @ st
13 CHAVANEL Sylvain Omega Pharma – Quick-Step @ st
14 VANDENBERGH Stijn Omega Pharma – Quick-Step @ st
15 GATTO Oscar Vini Fantini @ st
16 OFFREDO Yoann Equipe Cycliste FDJ @ st
17 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald Sky Procycling @ st
18 LEUKEMANS Bjorn Vacansoleil – DCM @ st
19 JEROME Vincent Europcar @ st
20 VANSUMMEREN Johan Garmin – Sharp @ st

28 VOSS Paul Team NetApp – Endura @ st
35 VOECKLER Thomas Europcar @ st
36 STYBAR Zdenek Omega Pharma – Quick-Step @ st
41 THOMAS Geraint Sky Procycling @ st
51 GREIPEL Andre Lotto Belisol Team @5.56
62 DOWNING Russell Team NetApp – Endura @10.52
83 BAUER Jack Garmin – Sharp @13.35
93 ROWE Luke Sky Procycling @ st
103 STANNARD Ian Sky Procycling

 

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