Treated as one of the strongest contenders ahead of the World Championship road race, Fabian Cancellara once again missed out on the rainbow jersey despite making that event his main objective for the second part of the 2014 season. Usually graceful in victories and defeats, the 33-year old Swiss was reluctant to speak to the press after crossing the finish line on Sunday, as cramps totally hindered his chances to fight for the factory in the event.

Cancellara made it absolutely clear that his current contract with Trek Factory Racing, expiring by the end of the 2016 season, would be his last and that he wants to complete his impressive palmares with a Worlds title before it happens. 

The 33-year old Swiss turned down the pressure before the event in Ponferrada kicked off, claiming that he still has some tile to accomplish that goal. However, it was absolutely clear that the classics specialist has to fancy his chances on the route which suited him down to the ground.

Despite having only two countrymen riding in his support, Swiss team was very visible throughout the whole event as Cancellara was constantly riding attentively near the front, while restless Michael Albasini seemed to be just everywhere, riding in breakaways and significantly contributing to pace setting.

Such a gutsy ride of the Orica-GreenEDGE cyclist suggested that the 33-year old Swiss has to invent something on the final lap of yesterday’s event. It never happened, though, as cramps prevented Cancellara from performing in line with everyone’s expectations and 11th place was all the renowned classics specialist could manage.  

“When you have to stay seated on the climbs because of a cramp, there’s not much you can do,” Cancellara said with resignation. “I don’t really have a lot to say. That’s the way it was.”

“Michael did great work, Danilo was always with me, our tactics were great. We did everything right,” he said. “With the change in temperature, maybe that didn’t favour me, but listen, that’s the way it was.

“I know where I should have been when Kwiatkowski went but if you don’t have the legs you wanted, what else can you do? I’m certainly a bit disappointed, but that’s normal. In the end, I gave everything and I don’t think I could have done anything else. That’s sport.”

For a second year in a row, shorter stage races and Canadian one-day events proved to be a better build-up towards Worlds than Vuelta a Espana, as both ITT and road race Champions were riding the Tour of Britain. Cancellara insisted, however, that in his own case not a wrong build-up but disposition of the day proved to be decisive.

“And it’s not a question of doing the Canadian races instead of the Vuelta either. Today we didn’t have the legs and there’s not much to say.”