Three crashes put an end to Fabian Cancellera’s dream ending to his career – It was not supposed to end this way
![]() |
Roubaix – Crash for Cancellera
(photos www.pelotonphotos.com)
A pile-up near the front of the peloton on sector 21 with 120 kilometers remaining of the 257-kilometers split the peloton, leaving two Trek-Segafredo teammates (Boy Van Poppel and Marco Coledan) on the ground and Fabian Cancellara in the second group behind a group of 23-25 riders.
It spelled the beginning of the end.
Over 60 kilometers later the Mons-en-Pévèle sector 10 ultimately thrust the nail into his coffin. Cancellara’s wheels slipped on a muddy section on the sector he had pointed out as the worst of them all in a pre-race press conference.
“The first crash I had to jump into the field and back, the second was just unlucky, and then the third was just like ice-skating, and I could do no nothing, it was over. Roubaix was gone,” explained Cancellara.
Cancellara remounted and continued in pursuit, but the gap to the front was an insurmountable three minutes. The game had ended. Paris-Roubaix is unpredictable. It’s what makes it special. The ‘hell of the north’ takes its victims, weak and strong alike, and often when least expected.
“In the big crash in sector 21 we were only a little bit back,” explained Jasper Stuyven. “But Etixx (Quick Step) and LottoNL-Jumbo pulled hard because they knew Fabian and Sagan were behind. It was a little bit chaotic for us at this moment: Boy and Marco crashed, Greggy had flatted, so we were a little bit all over.
“I had to start working pretty early, and I think everything was still looking okay when Fabian made his acceleration. Then when Fabian crashed, we lost everything.”
Cancellara: “Everything started well. Good sleep, good breakfast, Popo in the break so we had a perfect situation and then suddenly things turned differently.
“I knew it was going to be hard after the split, but also knew it is never over because Roubaix is a tough race. I just kept fighting. It was my last effort, and I knew that if you give up, then it is really over. I gave up maybe 10 or 15kms after my crash because I knew there it was impossible.
That’s Roubaix; I knew it was going to be a special race since it was not everywhere dry.
“I knew to stay up at the front, [to be] careful and really focused for every sector, but yeah…if you ride on second position or on last position, you can do nothing against a crash when it comes.”
It would not be the final spill for Fabian, who slid out again in the velodrome while grabbing a Swiss flag and saluting the fans. Fabian, however, laughed that one off.
“Somehow yes, but somehow no,” Cancellara responded when asked if ending his final Roubaix this way was hard. “Last week was harder (to accept), and I am just happy it is over. I was quite relaxed when I entered the velodrome. This was a different feeling than Flanders; there it was a battle to the end.
“I mean, even crashing on the velodrome in front of my fans I don’t care, because one crash more or less changes nothing for my career. I am just happy in another way, but not happy about the race. Just happy it is done.”
“I just want to enjoy with Popo, our last Roubaix together and his last race,” Cancellara added. “We want to make a loop on the velodrome, then go back to the hotel for a nice evening, celebrating, even though we have not won. But somehow that’s sport, that’s cycling – you can win you can lose, and we can still celebrate all that.”
Paris-Roubaix: Unpredictable in all its glory.
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- TT Result: Lea Valley CC 10
- TT Result: Alltrax 10m TT
- TT Result: Epsom CC 10
- TT Result: Shropshire CCA Championship 10
- Result: King and Queen of the Bowl Crit Series #11
- Result: RL360 Isle of Man Youth League Rd 12
- GB Team for Track Euros
- Result: West Thames League Rnd 13
- Result: RCR Goodwood Series #8
- Result: Portsmouth Evening Circuits
- Result: Thank Crit it’s Friday 4
- Result: Swindon Summer Race Series 3
- Result: Full Gas Summer Circuit Series 14
- Result: National Circuit Series – Guildford
- TT Result: Westerley Cycling Club 25
- TT Result: Ross on Wye & Dist CC 25
- TT Result: Northampton & District CA 12.7m TT
- TT Result: Border City Whs CC 25
- TT Result: Ferryhill Whs 25
- RESULT: Salt Ayre Tuesday Series 13 (Lune RCC)
- Result: A Bridge Too Far Road Race
- Result: Lichfield No Frills #3
- Result: Chorley CC UCLAN Series Round 2
- Result: Seacroft Wheelers Summer Road Races
- Result: Junior Road Championships
- TT Result: Mid Devon Cycling Club 25
- TT Result: The Nifty Fifty
- TT Result: East Lancashire RC 10
- Result: King and Queen of the Bowl Crit Series 10
- TT Result: VC Norwich 10
- TT Result: Ross on Wye & Dist CC 10
- TT Result: City RC (Hull) 10
- TT Result: Dan Ward Memorial TT
- TT Result: Bristol South Cycling Club 50
- Result: Banbury Star Festival of Racing
- Result: Mid Shropshire Wheelers Severn Valley Youth Series
- Result: Fete du Velo (Redbourn)
- Result: Ilkley Town Centre Races
- HC Result: Winster Hill Climb
- Result: Mallory Park Youth Road Race League 4
Other News on VeloUK
- GB Team for Track Euros
- Opening of Sir Mark Cavendish Raceway
- Bike News: Ribble Cycles Alloy Bikes
- This Weekend: Junior Road Championships
- Wednesday: Otley Cycle Races
- Mid Shropshire Wheelers celebrates 100 Years of Cycling
- Team Feature: Prologue Junior Racing Team Spring Review
- New: Ribble Cycles Ultra-Grit & Allgrit Ranges
- START LISTS FOR BRITISH ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- STARTLIST: Two day Giant Tugby Ronde van Wymeswold
- NEWS: MAJOR JUNIOR TEAMS TO MERGE FOR 2026
- Entries Wanted: Ilkley Town Centre Races
- Report/Result: Women’s Tour of Britain Stage 2
- Report: Women’s Tour of Britain Stage 1
- STARTLIST: Owen Blower Memorial Road Races
- Events: Halesowen Academy Road Race
- News: May Pedal Club Lunch
- RIBBLE PARTNERS WITH THE BIKE FITTERS
- Monday: Witham Wheelers Road Races
- British Stars for Women’s Tour of Britain
- Women’s Tour of Britain Riders 2025
- BIKES: RIBBLE UNVEILS ULTRA-RACE
- Women’s Tour of Britain Routes
- STARTLISTS: 2025 Lincoln Grand Prix
- STARTLIST: The Witham Hall Grand Prix
- Startlist: Timmy James Memorial Grand Prix
- FEATURE: PEDAL CLUB LUNCH REPORT (APRIL)
- 2025 BRITISH ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS – ROUTES
- STARTLIST: Sloan Trophy (April 27)
- News: Teams Revealed for the Women’s Tour of Britain
- Startlist: CiCLE Classic International
- Sunday: CiCLE Classic UCI Road Race
- News: Women’s Tour of Britain Stage Hosts
- PERTH GRAND PRIX (SCOTLAND)
- April 19: PNE National B Road Race
- STARTLIST: East Cleveland Classic
- Startlists: Witham Hall Junior Two Day (Men & Women)
- Startlist: Totnes-Vire Two Day
- STARTLISTS: Cold Dark Capenwray Road Races
- News: CiCLE Classic – Volunteers Wanted