Swiss rider accepts he still has much work to do to be ready for Olympic Games TT title defence
World time trial champion Tony Martin has already withdrawn from the Tour, the German confirming today that he won’t continue after the rest day. Now it has emerged that the rider who could be one of his top rivals at the London Olympics, 2008 champion Fabian Cancellara, could also stop the Tour early and thus miss out on the final time trial.
The deciding factor will be whether or not the Swiss rider’s wife has an early childbirth. She is expecting the couple’s second child and while it is due to be born just after the Tour finishes, Cancellara believes there is a chance that the baby will be born before the end.
“It's all very fast and sometimes the baby could come earlier than expected,” the quadruple world champion said, according to Het Nieuwsblad. “If so, then I take the helicopter to the hospital immediately to be with my wife as she gives birth.” He states that he would not return after that.
For many years the strongest time trialist in the sport, he showed greater frailties last year and was beaten by Martin in the world championships. The RadioShack Nissan rider is in better form this year and won the prologue of the Tour, but had to be satisfied with third yesterday, 57 seconds behind Bradley Wiggins (Sky).
He is arguably still lacking some form after a very bad crash in the Tour of Flanders left him with multiple fractures to his collarbone. Cancellara has stated that his main goal this year is to win the Olympic Games and feels that his form is still progressing.
“I know where I stand regarding my condition. There is much work to do, although I’m on the right track. I know what to do to be at my peak in London,” he said.
If his wife doesn’t give birth early and he remains in the race, he will have an opportunity to further test his form in the penultimate day time trial, a 53.5 kilometre race from Bonneval to Chartres.