Fans, friends and former rivals bid adieu to Cancellara with farewell event in Gent
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More than 6,000 fans turned out Saturday at the Kuipke velodrome in Gent, Belgium, to salute the career of Fabian Cancellara as the four-time world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist brings and end to his storied career.
Cancellara officially retired as a professional race last month at the Japan Cup criterium, but the 35-year-old Swiss rider took his final victory in August during the individual time trial at the Olympic Games in Rio. The rider known as Spartacus has built a huge following in the Flanders region of Belgium thanks to his Classics palmares, which include three wins each at the Tour of Flanders and E3-Harelbeke, and three wins in Paris-Roubaix, the 'Hell of the North' just across the French border.
Bradley Wiggins, Franck Schleck, Pippo Pozzato and Sep Vanmarcke were among the riders at the event, which also included an exhibition 2km individual pursuit on the same velodrome that will host the Gent Six Day in three days.
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