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Olympic champ Cancellara skips world title defense

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-09-22 18:17

Switzerland's Olympic cycling champion Fabian Cancellara smiles as he arrives with his wife Stefanie and daughter Giuliana at Zurich airport August 16, 2008. [Agencies]

BERN - Olympic champion Fabian Cancellara says he is too tired after a hard season to defend his world time trial championship in Italy this week.

"I lack the force," the 27-year-old Swiss cyclist was quoted as saying on the national cycling federation's Web site. "You can't win races with passion alone."

Cancellara won a gold medal in the time trial and bronze in the road race at last month's Beijing Olympics. In July, he helped CSC teammate Carlos Sastre win the Tour de France.

He would have been chasing a third straight world time trial title at the championships, being staged in Varese, Italy from Tuesday through Sunday.