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Cagey Cancellara keeps hold on jersey

Published: Jul. 6, 2009
2009 TdF, stage 3: Fabian Cancellara was the only Saxo Bank rider to make the key split.
2009 TdF, stage 3: Fabian Cancellara was the only Saxo Bank rider to make the key split.
Photo: Andrew Hood

Fabian Cancellara saved his yellow jersey Monday by slipping into the stage-breaking attack powered by the entire Columbia-HTC team.

The Saxo Bank rider was the only one from his favored team to be in the decisive, 28-man breakaway featuring Lance Armstrong (Astana) but not second-place rider Alberto Contador.

Cancellara came across the line sixth and actually widened his lead, from 19 seconds over Contador to 33 seconds over Tony Martin (Columbia-HTC), with Armstrong climbing to third at 40 seconds back.

“I was at the right place at the right time,” Cancellara said. “I heard on the race radio that there would be a change in direction with the wind and I eased toward the front of the group. Once I was in the break, I stayed calm and didn’t have to use any energy. There are always surprises in cycling, but luck was on my side today.”

The biggest surprise was that Saxo Bank only had Cancellara in the front group.

The team has earned a reputation as being one of the peloton’s most effective instigators of major splits in crosswinds. The team has deployed the tactic with lethal results at the Tour and other races, such as Paris-Nice and the Vuelta a España.

But it was Saxo Bank that was caught out this time. Only Cancellara was able to bridge out into the move, leaving the team’s GC riders, Andy and Fränk Schleck, fighting desperately to regain contact.

“I was surprised that Fabian was the only rider from our team to make it into the first group. I am very disappointed,” said Saxo Bank manager Bjarne Riis. “The others were told to be attentive and to be at the front. They were asleep at the wheel.”

Riis said the team will be trying to make amends in Tuesday’s team time trial, when Cancellara will have a 33-second head start and Saxo will enjoy the advantage of being the final team out of the gate.

The irony from Monday’s stage is that while the Schleck brothers lost time to GC rivals Armstrong, Mick Rogers and Linus Gerdemann, the team tightened its hold on the yellow jersey to 33 seconds.

“We have a good team and we have a good advantage over the others for the yellow jersey,” Riis said. “I’m optimistic that we can defend the yellow jersey.”

Follow Andrew Hood’s twitter at twitter.com/eurohoody.