Fabian Cancellara
Fabian Cancellara is an ex-professional cyclist who raced from 2001 to 2016 for Mapei, Fassa Bortolo, CSC and Trek.
One of a select trio of riders to have won Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders three times, alongside arch rival Tom Boonen and Johan Museeuw, he is the only racer who can add the Strade Bianche triple to that glittering statistic – first across the line in Siena at four year intervals between 2008 and 2016.
"Spartacus" was also a formidable time trialist, arguably the finest male ever against the clock. Four times world champion, twice Olympic champion – plus silver in the road race at Beijing 2008 – his final race as a professional cyclist came in the TT at the Rio Olympics in 2016, where he triumphed over second-placed Tom Dumoulin by a staggering 47 seconds.
Seven of his eight Tour de France stage wins came in time trials or prologues, whilst his sole road stage victory in 2007 was one of the all-time greats, taking a flyer from the bunch in the final kilometre and holding off the charging sprinters by metres at the line.
Cancellara also won three Vuelta a España stages, as well as Milan-San Remo (2008) and overall GC at Denmark Rundt (2006), Tirreno-Adriatico (2008), Tour de Suisse (2009) and Tour of Oman (2010).
Alongside various business interests – and being a Cyclingnews columnist, of course – Cancellara is a founder of the Tudor Pro Cycling team, currently racing at UCI Pro Team level.
Latest articles by
![Fabian Cancellara runs the rule over Mathieu van der Poel and the 2024 Paris-Roubaix](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VWukfsQvSkjaR5yMdmHAQN-320-80.jpg)
Cancellara's Classics column: After Flanders-Roubaix double, Mathieu van der Poel should ride Liège-Bastogne-Liège
By Fabian Cancellara published
How the Hell of the North was an Alpecin-Deceuninck show from start to finish
![Fabian Cancellara's Paris-Roubaix column](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QHbEzn6ypwtdRVWH8jgF7o-320-80.jpg)
Cancellara's Classics column: New Arenberg chicane will have consequences at Paris-Roubaix
By Fabian Cancellara published
Mathieu van der Poel’s Spanish trip was the ideal way to prepare for Ronde-Roubaix double
![Fabian Cancellara's column for the 2024 Tour of Flanders](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MxYbFywnLLLA4P9mUwuyFS-320-80.jpg)
Cancellara's Classics column: Mathieu van der Poel will break the Tour of Flanders record, it's just a matter of time
By Fabian Cancellara published
Alpecin-Deceuninck come up big for the world champion on the big occasion
![Mathieu van der Poel riding at E3 Saxo Bank Classic, alongside Cyclingnews columnist Fabian Cancellara](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ejEbpxfwm44kTJ2DJWDR2E-320-80.jpg)
Cancellara’s Classics column: Attack might be Mathieu van der Poel’s best form of defence in chaotic Tour of Flanders
By Fabian Cancellara published
How the absence of Van Aert and Stuyven changes the dynamic of the Ronde for the world champion
![WEVELGEM, BELGIUM - MARCH 24: (L-R) Mads Pedersen of Denmark and Team Lidl - Trek celebrates at finish line as race winner ahead of Mathieu van der Poel of The Netherlands and Team Alpecin - Deceuninck during the 86th Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields 2024 - Men's Elite a 253.1km one day race from Ieper to Wevelgem / #UCIWT / on March 24, 2024 in Wevelgem, Belgium. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/no9JbCZpcPDrt25hmgGXbL-320-80.jpg)
Cancellara’s Classic column: Mathieu van der Poel is human and Lidl-Trek are real contenders
By Fabian Cancellara published
Pedersen’s Gent-Wevelgem triumph after team effort shows that nobody is unbeatable in cycling
![Fabian Cancellara analyses the 2024 E3 Saxo Bank Classic and the Van der Poel-Van Aert rivalry](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GnRTPkbwsrigRmwBUdADEM-320-80.jpg)
Cancellara's Classics column: Don't overlook the mental aspect of the Van der Poel-Van Aert duel
By Fabian Cancellara published
Peerless Van der Poel triumphs over under-pressure Van Aert, though history shows nobody is unbeatable at Flanders and Roubaix
![Fabian Cancellara analyses Wout van Aert and Visma-Lease a Bike at Opening Weekend 2024](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hd3Yz2oSK9835y6ZsbKKGJ-320-80.jpg)
Cancellara’s Classics column: Visma-Lease A Bike are dominant, but they can destroy themselves too
By Fabian Cancellara published
Wout van Aert and Visma may outgun the peloton, but tactics-wise and racing-wise Opening Weekend showed they're far from flawless
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Latest on Cyclingnews
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Cancellara's Classics column: After Flanders-Roubaix double, Mathieu van der Poel should ride Liège-Bastogne-Liège
How the Hell of the North was an Alpecin-Deceuninck show from start to finish -
Cancellara's Classics column: New Arenberg chicane will have consequences at Paris-Roubaix
Mathieu van der Poel’s Spanish trip was the ideal way to prepare for Ronde-Roubaix double -
Cancellara's Classics column: Mathieu van der Poel will break the Tour of Flanders record, it's just a matter of time
Alpecin-Deceuninck come up big for the world champion on the big occasion
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Cancellara’s Classics column: Attack might be Mathieu van der Poel’s best form of defence in chaotic Tour of Flanders
How the absence of Van Aert and Stuyven changes the dynamic of the Ronde for the world champion -
Cancellara’s Classic column: Mathieu van der Poel is human and Lidl-Trek are real contenders
Pedersen’s Gent-Wevelgem triumph after team effort shows that nobody is unbeatable in cycling -
Cancellara's Classics column: Don't overlook the mental aspect of the Van der Poel-Van Aert duel
Peerless Van der Poel triumphs over under-pressure Van Aert, though history shows nobody is unbeatable at Flanders and Roubaix
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Cancellara’s Classics column: Visma-Lease A Bike are dominant, but they can destroy themselves too
Wout van Aert and Visma may outgun the peloton, but tactics-wise and racing-wise Opening Weekend showed they're far from flawless -
Cancellara's Classics column: Bad luck and good decisions separate Van der Poel and Van Aert at Paris-Roubaix
A tale of two punctures for Jumbo-Visma -
Fabian Cancellara’s Paris-Roubaix preview
While the Van Aert-Van der Poel rivalry returns, our Classics columnist keeps an eye on the outsiders