March 15/16 11:18 am - Tirreno - Adriatico: Stages 6 and 7, Cancellara wins final stage, Van Avermaet wins overall

Posted by Editoress on 03/15/16
 

The fight for the trident was extremely tight. The prestigious trophy for the overall winner went to Greg Van Avermaet who maintained less than a one second (72 cents, rounded up as per the rules) advantage over runner up Peter Sagan; Sagan had started the final stage with the aim of making up his deficit of eight-seconds. Third place was just as tight as best young rider Bob Jungels fended off the FDJ climbing duo, formed of Sébastien Reichenbach and Thibaut Pinot, with a similar advantage of  just one second.

Greg Van Avermaet: "Beating Sagan often means that I’m winning a lot. He has been close to winning on many occasions, so I imagine it’s a lot of frustration for him. I know how it feels… I’ve come second myself too many times. I’m sure a big victory in the World Champion's jersey will come to him soon. Yesterday I decided to not pull in the breakaway but that’s not my usual way of racing, it was a decision due to the circumstances with my team-mates Tejay van Garderen and Damiano Caruso at the back. I’m very happy now. I never thought I’d win this race. It was once in a lifetime chance that I had could win Tirreno. It means a lot to me to have my name on the record book after Roger de Vlaeminck and all the great champions who have done it before me. Only one second is enough for me! Today, I knew it would be a hard circuit for me. I was informed of the split time that went up to 5 seconds. I tried to go as fast as I could. It was about pushing as hard as possible and I gave it all. I think I did a good time trial. It was not my best but also not my worst. I like courses with more corners. Straight roads aren’t my forte for racing alone. A lot of small things didn’t come right in the past. Now luck is on my side this year. I have the engine to be up there. I’m in for a big win in the classics also".

Fabian Cancellara: "For sure there have been other time trials in my career that I’ll remember but besides the World Championships and the Olympic Games, this one is special. It’s my fourth and last one in San Bendetto del Tronto. I’ll keep good memories from all my time trials here. Every year it’s been a challenge, I’ve lost some of them and it helped me win others. Today’s victory brings me a positive feeling because I didn’t start the week of racing at my best. I wasn’t 100% healthy at the beginning. Stage 5 was cancelled. It was a good thing for me and in general. We didn’t have any rain, which helped me to recover. Now I can rest ahead of my last Milan-Sanremo. That will be another special one".

Points classification winner Peter Sagan: "I’ve got mixed feelings. I should be disappointed to lose the overall classification by such a small margin but hadn’t the mountain stage been cancelled, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to race for GC. I’m more bitter about yesterday’s stage. The way Greg Van Avermaet rode it is certainly not my style of racing. He says he had team-mates at the back but I also had team-mates at the back and so did Etixx - Quick Step. Moreover, I’m happy with my form. This race puts me on the right track for my coming goals".

Best young rider Bob Jungels: "Team wise we can be satisfied with our week of racing. We would have signed for such a result: two stage wins, second in the team time trial and my first podium in a World Tour race. It’s great for myself and the team. It helps me looking forward to the next target".
 
King of the Mountains Cesare Benedetti: "It’s really good for my team Bora - Argon 18 to get this price. It’s our first in a World Tour race. We’re only a Pro Continental squad. As for myself, I’m delighted with this distinctive jersey. I was a reserve on the entry form. Eventually I started and showed that my form was good, which means I’ve worked well at home. I’m glad I took the opportunity to conquer this prize".

Report courtesy Tirreno - Adriatico

Cancellara crushes Tirreno-Adriatico time trial
His 56th victory in a time trial

Fabian Cancellara crushed the Tirreno-Adriatico final day time trial, powering through the flat 10.1-kilometer course in a time of 11:08 (54.4km/h) and grabbing his fourth victory in six years.

Cancellara won the stage seven race against the clock in 2011, 2012, finished second in 2014 and obliterated his time of 2015 by a full 15 seconds Tuesday, dominating the short time trial that has concluded the week-long race since 2011.

"It was windy fast, short and, yeah, it felt good," said Cancellara, clearly enjoying some of his best form in a few years. "I mean it was very hard; it may have seemed easy, but it was not."

"I didn't do anything specific today, with such a short time trial I focused on pure power. I did not have the easiest week, and I am really happy with my performance. I went out like a mad man, with everything I had."

Cancellara set the fastest split time by nine seconds, and by the finish he added a few more for good measure, flying over the line 13 seconds ahead of second place Johan Le Bon (FDJ), and 15 more than rival Tony Martin (Etixx-Quick Step).

None of the riders to follow, including the final starters in the fierce battle of the general classification, would better the times of the top three early finishers.

"On one side of the course you enjoy to go 60km/h, but on the other side you have to really push the pedals, and it's painful," explained Cancellara about the non-technical, flat parcours. "The speed bumps on the way out you hit at 60km/h and with the wind and cobblestones, you have to be careful and find the right line. They are not that fun.

"It's a race of pure concentration – you have adrenaline the whole time, but you have to focus on pushing, focus on the road, the asphalt, focus on breathing, and also try to find a way to go over your limit. This is about the clock, about who goes the fastest, so you have to find a way to go on a level where you are normally not riding. It's an over-limit race."

"The last two kilometers look flat, but especially from kilometer two to one, it feels a little bit uphill, around 0.5 to almost 1 percent gradient and that makes it really hard. The last kilometer is endless long; there it's hard for the head, and you have to push a lot.

"When I saw 1k to go my legs felt already empty, full of lactic acid, everywhere, almost out of your ears. You have to give all-in, all that you have, until the end because the finish line is what counts; there you can stop breathing and stop thinking."

Trek - Segafredo press release