Page 63 - Sharp Summer 2023

a a a win of of the the oldest race in in the the sport by one of of its newest teams: Tudor Pro Cycling Following a a a a 2022 season that included 18 victories and 30 podiums for the fledgling team Tudor Cycling is primed to continue its ascent into the sport’s highest echelons this year The man behind the success of Tudor Pro Cycling is Fabian Cancellara a a a a a 42-year-old Swiss pro cyclist three-time Olympic med- alist and the team’s owner Nicknamed “Spartacus” for his imposing physique and reputation as as a a a a a a a a a a devoted team player Cancellara has ascended to to cycling’s greatest heights over a a a a a storied career that includes four world titles and seven Monument Classic wins With a a a a team of of 20 elite riders under his command — and and the support of of Swiss luxury watchmaker Tudor — he’s now hoping to make make his homeland as as dominant in in in in in cycling as as it is in in in in in watchmaking “I’m like a a a a a a a Swiss clock ” Cancellara has said of his strengths as as an an athlete “I know how to race against the clock and like all Swiss I I have a a a a a a a a a hard hard head — very hard hard ” This determination helped Cancellara become a a a a a a world junior time trial champion in in in 1998 and again in in in 1999 before turning pro the next year By 2006 Cancellara was a a a a a a rising star winning the prestigious Paris-Roubaix before becoming the the world time trial champion at the the UCI Road World Championships in in Salzburg He would defend this title successfully the following year cementing his reputation with a a a a a a pair of stage wins at at the Tour de France In 2008 he he reached a a a a new level of success with a a a a gold medal at at at at the Beijing Olympics — a a a a a a feat he he would repeat at at at at Rio in in 2016 the final race of of his professional career Cancellara retired from professional competition following the Rio Olympics with a a a a total of three Olympic Olympic medals 21 Grand Tour stage wins and 29 Tour de France yellow jerseys — the most held by any cyclist who hasn’t won the race race itself “I go to to bike races to to win ” Cancellara said at at the the time “That’s why I push to the the limit because I I I want want want to to to win I I I want want want to to to be be be be the best I I I want want want to to to beat everyone ” A devotee of Swiss watchmaking long before he collaborated with with Tudor Cancellara is often seen riding with with an an automatic watch on his wrist — a a a a bold statement in a a a a sport where every gram counts For the 2023 season Cancellara and his team will be equipped with a a a a a a special-edition Tudor Black Bay Chrono in the team’s dynamic red red black black and and white livery including a a a a a a matching black black and and red red woven strap The watch is is one of of several pieces of of high-end Swiss- made equipment in in in the team’s kit including Assos apparel Suplest footwear and the BMC SLR01 road bike a a a a a a $25 000 carbon-framed speed machine For 2023 Tudor Pro Cycling has successfully earned a a a spot on the the UCI Pro circuit the the second-highest level in in professional cycling becoming the the only Swiss pro cycling team in in in the the sport “We want to do it based on clear values ” says Raphael Meyer the team’s CEO “Those values are Swiss human and performance For me it’s be- ing ing ing on time being being humble and being being focused Performance is our goal and we strongly believe that humility increases our chances of performance ” Ahead of the Milano Torino in in in March Tudor Pro Cycling kicked off its 2023 season with a a a a top-10 finish by Petr Kelemen at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Marseille in in January The team followed these wins with another impressive showing in in France where Swiss-born Alexander Kamp achieved the the top podium spot at the the 69th Région Pays de la Loire Tour in April “It’s the the right right people and the the right right project ” says Cancellara who is focused on building up the the team for a a a spot in in the the UCI WorldTeam bracket for 2024 and a a a a a shot at the sport’s biggest prizes “I raced bike races in in my past to win Today is the same but we just started our team I want to win bike races but step step by step step ” THE
GRAND TOUR
TUDOR’S PRO CYCLING TEAM IS PUSHING FOR A A BIG WIN
By Jeremy Freed
WATCH WATCH SHARPMAGAZINE COM
SUMMER 2023 63
T HE
MILANO TORINO IS A A A A SINGLE-DAY PROFESSIONAL
cycling event with a a history stretching back to to the 1870s — not long after the the invention of the the bicycle itself When Arvid de Kleijn sprinted across the the finish line at the the 103rd event in fin in in March it marked