Cycling: Time trial victory gives Cancellara world title

SALZBURG - Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara won the elite men's time trial title at the world road race championships.

The 25-year-old set a time of 1h 11s for the tough 50.8km course, beating second-placed Dave Zabriskie of the United States by 1m 29s.

Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan was third at 1:49, despite his chain falling off on the first climb. Last year's winner Michael Rogers of Australia finished eighth at 2:32.

Cancellara used his aggressive racing style to storm up the early hilly sections of the course.

He was fastest at the first intermediate time check and gained more time on his rivals on the descent to the finish in the centre of Salzburg. He covered the course at an average of 50.664km/h.

"I knew I'd won two or three kilometres before the finish because of the reaction of the crowd and because my team director told me over the radio," Cancellara said after the win on Thursday.

"It was a perfect day for me. I felt good this morning when I woke and everything went right during my ride. The course suited me and instead of focusing on my rivals I concentrated on going as hard as I could."

Cancellara finished third in the 2005 time trial championships but has improved dramatically in 2006 after joining the Danish CSC team.

"This has been a great year for me. I won my Paris-Roubaix in the spring and now I'm world champion," he said.

He also won the Tour of Denmark stage race in August.

"Now I can focus on other objectives. In 2007 I want to try and do well in the Milan-San Remo race and also the Tour of Flanders."

Cancellara dedicated his rainbow jersey to his wife Stefanie, whom he married in August and who will soon give birth to their first child.

- REUTERS