Team CSC’s Fabian Cancellara hadn’t raced since winning Paris-Roubaix more than a month ago, but nothing could stop the adrenalin and killer instincts from kicking in when the big Swiss rider clipped into the pedals ahead of Monday’s opening 12.5km time trial to open the 86th Volta a Cataluyna.

Once he got his big motor warmed up, the 6-foot-3, 180-pounder just let it rip.

"I never dreamed of winning today until I rode the course this morning and I thought to myself, ‘Why not risk it and try to win?’" Cancellara said. "My next big goal isn’t until the Tour, but this was an opportunity I didn’t want to let slip by."

He ripped the flat, out-and-back course along Spain’s sunny Costa Dorada in 14 minutes, 55 seconds, with an average speed of 50.682kph, to score his third win on the year.

Cancellara beat an impressive field of riders he can expect to see in the prologue at the Tour de France in Strasbourg on July 1. Three riders tied for second at three seconds back: Vladimir Karpets (Illes Balears), 2004 U23 world time trial champion Janez Brajkovic (Discovery Channel) and Robert Hunter (Phonak).

After warming up on the course, Cancellara thought, 'Why not risk it and win?'

Photo: Andrew Hood

Santiago Botero (Phonak) stopped the clock at five seconds back while Christian Vande Velde (CSC) was eighth at 11 seconds slower. Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) was 11th at 13 seconds slower and Ryder Hesjedal (Phonak) was 15th at 15 seconds back.

Cancellara’s win underscored an exciting start to the seven-stage Cataluyna tour, which hugs the sunny Mediterranean Coast through Wednesday before turning upward in Thursday’s decisive climbing stage to Arcalis in Andorra. The race ends Sunday with a flat stage into Barcelona.

"I know I am not in good enough shape to try to defend the jersey," Cancellara admitted. "It’s hard to say who can win this race. There are some riders like me who are coming back from the spring classics, others are building up for the Tour. I’d keep an eye out for the smaller Spanish teams, who are always ambitious on national races."

Cancellara said he’ll use the hilly Catalan tour to prepare for the Tour de France prologue, where he hopes to repeat his result from the 2004 Tour, when he won ahead of Lance Armstrong and grabbed the maillot jaune.

After that, it’s all about helping Ivan Basso make a run for the overall title.

"My entire Tour will be less than 10km. After that, I will do my all to help Ivan win," Cancellara said. "After that, I still have goals. I’d like to win the world (time trial) title in Austria."

Cancellara admitted that he took time to celebrate his dramatic solo Paris-Roubaix victory with a few parties before getting back to training. The big win played well in the headlines back in Switzerland.

"It’s good for Swiss racing to have a big win like that," he said. "It was a big story and it made a lot of news. When you win Paris-Roubaix, you become a legend."

Cancellara said another run in yellow would be great, but nothing will compare with the feeling of rolling in alone into the Roubaix velodrome to claim one of cycling’s monuments.

"I think the Roubaix win is bigger to me than having the maillot jaune for a day or two," he said. "Sure, if you can win the Tour, that’s bigger than the classics, but for a rider like me, winning Roubaix was a dream come true."

Cancellara can keep dreaming, but his run in the Cataluyna race leader’s jersey could end as soon as Tuesday. The bumpy 156km second stage, starting and finishing in Cambrils, dips inland and hits four rated climbs, including three Cat. 2s.