Fabian Cancellara (34) is ready for his final year in the professional peloton. Before travelling to the first Trek training camp, he visited Flanders where he spoke to several media and made it clear that he still wants to shine one final time in the the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix that are so dear to him.

A test of the equipment with Trek on the roads of the Flemish Ardennes, a visit to Studio Brussel and an appearance in the Lieven Van Gils TV show: Monday was a busy day Monday. On Tuesday, he went to Spain for the first training camp with Trek but first he took time to speak with Het Nieuwsblad.

"It was strange that my announcement to retire has caused such a stir," he told the Belgian paper "I thought it was no secret that I would stop at the end of 2016. In my head it has been a fact for a long time but apparently everybody had not realized it."

Tom Boone has said that he doesn't want to proclaim it his final year as it will make him less focused on the race.

"Tom lives in his world, I live in mine," Cancellara said. "I say quite deliberately that this is my last season, but it does not change my motivation or concentration. Physically I can still keep up with the peloton for a few years. But mentally, it will soon be too much. As I have so often said, cycling is not my life."

Cancellara has a clear reason to do one final year.

"I have one every race that I have targeted," he said. "This gives peace of mind. I don't need to prove anything. But I want to write one last story. If I fail, I won't be crying. To miss a Worlds title will impact my balance more than a final season without a major victory."