Cancellara abandons Giro d’Italia
Fabian Cancellara‘s Giro d’Italia time trial hopes faded on Sunday in Chianti with stomach flu recovery taking longer than he would have liked. He finished fourth behind stage winner Primož Roglič (LottoNl-Jumbo) and left the race after the stage to focus on the remainder of the season.
Cancellara is heading home from the Giro d’Italia without the results he had aimed for after falling sick ahead of the start, but with his focus now on the second half of the season, rest is crucial.
“Fabian did not fully recover from his fever in the first days because normally on a parcours like this he would be near the level of the top three riders, or podium, and it’s clear it is not the case,” pointed out general manager Luca Guercilena. “He needs to recover now, or he will compromise the rest of the season. He had been really going à bloc since February so it’s time that he takes a breath.”
“I leave the Giro now,” continued Cancellara. “I have to look forward. I think it was quite hard to manage the sickness during the first days and we have to look what comes after and calculate. This is the best situation and best moment to leave and continue for what’s next.”
