Radio Shack's Fabian Cancellera won the Individual Time Trial on the eleventh stage of the 68th Vuelta a España.
A 38.8km Individual Time Trial was today's stage which started and finished in Tarazone for the 190 riders.
Another glorious day saw Lieuwe Westra of Vacansoleil-DCM, set the early time beat which comprised of eighteen kilometres of easy climbing and eighteen kilometres of descending, of 54.22.
However, all the betting and interest had surrounded the World Champion Time Trialier Tony Martin of Omega Pharma Quick Step and Fabian Cancellera of Radio Shack.
Neither rider disappointed their legion of fans out on the course. Riding at an average speed of 48km/h, Tony Martin finished in a time of 51.37.
Cancellera was ahead at the first split and continued the pace into the second and the final sections to see the Swiss hero finish in 51.00, some 37 seconds quicker than Martin.
Nicholas Roche rode superbly and finished 1.48 down on Cancellera for sixth place but Vincenzo Nibali finished in a fourth best time, some 1.25 down and with race leader Chris Horner coming in 2.54 back, Cancellera took the stage and Nibali went back into the red jersey.
Nibali now leads Roche by 33 seconds.
Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Leopard) said to La.Vuelta.com : “When I looked at the parcours and the profile, my first impression was that the uphill should suit the climbers, and I didn’t know how I’d be after the rest day.
"So I put my ambitions not so high. The climb was almost 18km long and very hard too. I didn’t know if I’d win against Vincenzo. At the end, it’s a time trial, so you go at your own pace and it’s a question of head and legs.
"During the race, I was focused on myself, on the ride, on my pace. I continued the work I had to do. I’m just done with my homework. It’s always nice to win on top of that but today it’s more about details than just about winning. It’s been a very good day for me.
"To appreciate the race, I had to choose the right wheels, etc. My objective number 1 is to prepare for the World’s but we’re here firstly for doing well at the Vuelta. Chris [Horner] is very strong and very close to Nibali on GC. We have full respect for the Vuelta. We’ve won three stages and made a couple of top 3. Now we have to see day after day what else can be achieved. The Vuelta is hard but the Vuelta is beautiful.”
Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) who finished second said: “I didn’t expect that. Fabian has had an impressive ride. I have to study the time checks. I believe the downhill has made a difference but it won’t hurt my confidence to win the World’s where there’s no downhill on the course. It was not a real time trial for specialists today. It was very hard, very hilly and very wind. It was a nice course for different types of riders, including climbers and GC contenders. Everyone had a chance, I took mine and I finished hoping the weather conditions would be the same for all the riders. I went full gas, especially with the tail wind at the end. But I was not at the limit like sometimes.”
Stage Result
1 Fabian Cancellara RadioShack Leopard 51:00
2 Tony Martin Omega Pharma-Quick Step 00:37
3 Domenico Pozzovivo AG2R La Mondiale 01:24
4 Vincenzo Nibali Astana Pro Team 01:25
5 Dario Cataldo Sky Procycling 01:41
6 Nicolas Roche Team Saxo-Tinkoff 01:48
7 Alejandro Valverde Movistar 01:52
8 Jerome Coppel Cofidis, 01:52
9 Janez Brajkovic Astana 01:53
10 Samuel Sanchez Euskaltel-Euskadi 02:13