Cancellara heads up Swiss worlds team

Beijing Olympic and three-time world time trial champion Fabian Cancellara will spearhead the Swiss team at next month’s UCI Road World Championships in Australia, organisers said on Friday.

Cancellara, who could become the first man to win four world time trial championships, has his sights set on the elusive road race rainbow jersey.

“My ambitions are always high and I tried to get the double in Switzerland when Cadel Evans won and I was close, but now I have to look forward to Geelong,” Cancellara said.

He will be joined in Melbourne by 2009 Vuelta a España points classification winner André Greipel of Germany.

Meanwhile, the Danish national coach Lars Bonde has completed his roster for the Championships.

Michael Mørkøv and Alex Rasmussen will join Lars Bak (HTC-Columbia) and their Saxo Bank teammates Matti Breschel, Anders Lund and Chris Anker Sørensen.

Matti Breschel won bronze in Varese in 2008 and finished seventh last year in Mendrisio, while Alex Rasmussen was third in the final time trail on the Eneco Tour in August and won the time trial in Ruta del Sol in February.

“We have a strong team of riders who all are doing well at Pro Tour level,” Bonde told CyclingWorld.dk.

The UCI Road World Championships, held from September 29 to October 3, will include road races and individual time trials for elite men and women and under-23 men.