Norwegian elects to continue season after winning World Championships
Newly crowned World champion Thor Hushovd (Cervélo TestTeam) was to undergo surgery tomorrow at the CrossKlinik in Basel, Switerland, as reported by la France Cycliste. Surgeons are to remove the screws and plate that they inserted into the Norwegian’s collarbone following a crash in Italy in May; procycling.no has since discovered that he has elected to delay the procedure though, in order to show off his new rainbow jersey.
The appointment had been made before Hushovd’s trip to Australia, and his success has caused a change of plan.
“He has given a higher priority to riding more races this season instead,” the Norwegian’s agent Alex Carera told procycling.no. “It means a lot to him and the team to show off the rainbow jersey.
“Thor believes that it is important for his image that he competes again this season,” Carera added. “Moreover, people want to see him in the new jersey.”
Hushovd broke the collarbone while out on a training ride in Sanremo, Italy, when a young girl crossed the street in front of him. His immediate concern had been for the child, before he found that he was unable to help.
“First I tried to help her, but I soon realised that I was not able and there was something wrong. Unfortunately, I broke my collarbone. The little girl is fine,” he said at the time.
The break proved to be more complicated than first thought and he had to have the plate and screws inserted by the Swiss clinic. The injury undoubtedly affected the rest of Hushovd’s season; he won the “Paris-Roubaix” style stage 3 of the Tour de France, but found himself behind the pace of the rest of the sprinters. The 32-year-old managed to time his return to form perfectly though, winning a stage of the Vuelta a España, before surviving what was said to be a tough World Championships course to win the rainbow jersey.
The Cervélo TestTeam has not been selected to ride this weekend’s Paris-Tours where, as a sprinter, he might have wanted to show off his new rainbow jersey. The team has decided that Hushovd will ride in the Italian end of season races, the Giro del Piemonte and Giro di Lombardia. Lombardia is almost too hilly for the big Norwegian, but Piemonte often ends in a sprint and so could be his first chance to win in the iconic jersey.
Had Hushovd elected to proceed with the operation as planned, it would have meant that the Cervélo TestTeam rainbow jersey did not get a competitive outing; the team is to merge with Garmin-Transitions in 2011, to become Garmin-Cervélo.