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Hushovd win gives Cervélo a boost

Published: Jul. 9, 2009

Thor Hushovd’s sprint victory up Montjuic gave a huge boost to the start-up Cervélo TestTeam just as the continental squad prepares to lead defending champion Carlos Sastre into the Pyrénées starting with Friday’s stage to Arcalis.

The sprinting Viking out-kicked three-time world champion Oscar Freire to claim his seventh career Tour stage win and deliver the Canadian-sponsored continental team a prestigious victory in its first-ever Tour de France.

“This means a lot for our team. We’re a new team, this is our first Tour, so it’s really important for us,” a happy Hushovd said later. “Now I am close in the points jersey and I will fight to try to win that, too. The team gave me a lot of support the first week and I am glad to win. Now I will do what I can to help Sastre.”

Hushovd might have had an edge for the uphill sprint thanks to Cervélo sport director Alex Sans, who lives in Barcelona and videotaped the finishing kilometers. Hushovd viewed the video this morning and knew the finale was ideal for his characteristics.

The team also discussed the importance of today’s sprint during a team meeting, going over mistakes committed in Wednesday’s sprint into Perpignan when Hushovd lost position – and points – in the fight for the green jersey.

“Last night we had a meeting to talk about what happened. I was a bit frustrated,” Hushovd said. “When everything works, I know that we have one of the best trains in the world.”

Hushovd now pulls within one point of archrival Mark Cavendish in the fight for the green jersey, 106-105.

Cavendish couldn’t stay with the brawnier sprinters up the short but steep Montjuic hill, but scored 10 points with 16th place, just enough to keep him in green going into the Pyrénées by a single point.

“(Cavendish) is much better in the climbs this year and I think we’ll see him make it to Paris,” Hushovd said. “Now we will be in the mountains, but I will try to pick up points when I can. It’s going to be a hard fight for the green jersey.”

The victory also paid off for Cervélo brass, who backed Hushovd with several riders designated to help him in the sprints.

Some criticized the team’s Tour selection, especially when popular Aussie rider and Tour stage-winner Simon Gerrans was left on the sidelines and others, such as big-engine rider like Brett Lancaster or Hayden Roulston, were included in large part to help Hushovd aim for the green jersey.

During the team’s pre-Tour press conference, Sastre backed the Cervélo’s two-pronged strategy was partially his idea. He wanted big, strong riders who could help him on the flats and then count on Spanish climbers Iñigo Cuesta and José Marchante in the mountains.

“This is one team, it’s not just one half for me and another half for Thor. We will ride as one,” Sastre said. “We decided we wanted a team like this. We will all help each other to achieve our goals.”

Sastre, meanwhile, is ready to step center-stage for the team.

He brushed off a minor crash in Thursday’s stage and said Hushovd’s win only fuels the team’s hopes for the Pyrénées.

“I had a crash, but luckily I was left with nothing more than a few bumps and scrapes, nothing that’s important,” Sastre said. “For everything else, we’ve finished another important day of the Tour and tomorrow we finally arrive to the mountains.”

Cervélo sport director Jean-Paul Van Poppel has confidence that Sastre will be ready to make a move, but suggested that the Tour’s final week across the Alps is better suited for the Spanish climber.

“If Carlos has the legs, he will make a move. He knows what he has to do,” Van Poppel said. “Carlos said the final week is better for him. The climbs are harder and everyone will be fatigued. Carlos is one of the best climbers in the world and we have a good team to support him.”

Hushovd, meanwhile, is content to slide into the background and try to repay the team’s confidence by pulling as long as he can before slipping into the gruppetto.