Fabian Cancellara, Spartacus, will probably live up to his expectations this afternoon and become World Champion on the individual time trial in Mendrisio.
The first time I watched this phenomenon in action was on tv during the 1999 world's in Treviso. Cancellara, still in the juniors categorie, was set to battle it out with Dutch hope Bobbie Traksel (now Vacansoleil) for the World Junior time trial title. Traksel had beaten him the week before with 3 seconds during the GP des Nations, the no longer organized 'unofficial' WC for time trialists, and he looked like he might be able to pull in the gold.
On that Tuesday in Treviso Traksels dreams where shattered as Cancellara passed the previously started rider after no more than 9 of the 26 kilometers. I had to skip school to go and watch it that afternoon but it was worth it to see this man in action. He rode as a natural back then, coping with the pressure, and his style hasn't changed much over the years...
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