After sickness caused him pull out of the Amgen Tour of California in the leaders jersey, Team Saxo Bank’s Fabian Cancellara has now had another setback in his preparations for the Spring Classics.
After sickness caused him pull out of the Amgen Tour of California in the leaders jersey, Team Saxo Bank’s Fabian Cancellara has now had another setback in his preparations for the Spring Classics.
Another crash back home in Switzerland has resulted in several days without training and because of the pain Fabian Cancellara is forced to cancel his planned participation in
The Swiss rider will not be participating in the Vuelta a Murcia due to a shoulder injury. Cancellara crashed while training at home, and the break in his training has forced the former Paris-Roubaix winner to alter his schedule.
His plan is to be back in action in Italy for the Tirreno-Adriatico, and if his painful shoulder progresses faster than expected he will ride in the Monte Paschi Eroica.
”I really needed the kilometers in Murcia but the pain in my shoulder won’t let me unfortunately. It sucks for sure that I’ve had to take another break at this point – especially since I didn’t get further than the prologue in California,” says Cancellara on the Team Saxo Bank website. Last year the rider won Monte Paschi Eroica, Tirreno-Adriatico and Milano-Sanremo.
”There’s still a month to go before we hit the cobble stones and hopefully I’ll be able to make up for lost time so I’ll be at a level fit for the classics. This is not an ideal situation but I’ll just have to do my very best to fight my way back in shape. I think it’s possible but only if I don’t have any more accidents from now on,” adds Cancellara.
”We have to be realistic and admit that we won’t be able to expect results like the ones Fabian managed same time last year. The most important thing is for his shoulder to get better so he’s able to race again as soon as possible. If all goes according to plan he should be able to get ready in which case he’ll be on top form for the two big ones: Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. It’ll be a race against time but Fabian has surprised us all more than once,” comments sports director Kim Andersen.