Cancellara ready for classics

Fabian Cancellara, recruited by CSC during the winter as a rider for the classics, feels he's ready for the classics season. The 25-year-old Swiss rider performed well in last Saturday's Milan-San Remo, getting himself in the front group and showing the type of form necessary to do well in the tough schedule of northern classics ahead.

"I actually still felt quite fresh towards the end of Milano-San Remo and that is definitely a good sign," Cacellara said on Team CSC's website. "We had Fränk Schleck all the way up front so of course I wasn't going anywhere, but I did have the legs for an attack during the final kilometre," he added.

Although he was feeling the pinch somewhat the following day, all had gone well for him in his first crack at La Primavera. "The following day I was fairly worn, but during the last couple of day's training here in Switzerland I've felt that my form is right where it should be," he explained.

A win in the time trial at Tirreno-Adriatico was a confidence boost ahead of his busy schedule. "It was very important to win that one - both for me and the team," said Cancellara. "It was good for morale to show that we've prepared for the big races in the right way - I feel totally ready and I look forward to hitting the cobblestones."

But there's still work to be done in the meantime, according to the big Swiss, including E3 Prijs on Saturday and Brabrantse Pijl on Sunday. "There are two good races this weekend and I'm initially going to try to sit up front in the E3 Prijs on Saturday. It will prove a good test of my form even though primarily it's all about getting ready for Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix," he said.