Fabian Cancellera has said that he is as happy as a kid after winning the Strade Bianche on Saturday.
"This year I really want to go out with a bang," said Cancellara to his Trek Segafredo team press office. "I want to thank all my teammates for supporting me today, and all these years. This is just amazing. I am happy as a kid!
"I knew that Stybar is a cyclocross guy, so I had to be careful for him. He won last year as well, and he is very good at this last climb. I am very, very happy. Third time, and now they will name a white gravel section after me - sector 6 - I am honoured.
"For sure the car gave me the last confidence for the win. "They helped me play with the tactics of the Etixx guys. They told me also to let Sagan work [in the chase] and that we don't give too many seconds to Brambilla. He was already in the front all day, so I could catch him in the last climb, and we can play there. Everything went perfectly well.
"I made the pace on the final climb because I knew that Sagan would not do it because I saw him already in a little bit of difficulty. I knew that it was probably going to be Stybar and me, so I had to play like this.
"This is special. I had to play at the end; it was a lottery and I knew I had to risk. I had trust in myself; it was experience. I knew that Etixx was going to play the team game, and I just had to make sure that Brambilla did not take too much time."