After a spectacular 2009 season that included a win in Gent-Wevelgem and his first Grand Tour stage win in the Giro d’Italia, Edvald Boasson Hagen expects to be starring in Team Sky’s Tour de France lineup this coming July. Although the young Norwegian will be making his debut at the French race, he doesn’t believe his inexperience will stand in the way of success.
“I’ll mainly be riding the Tour to gain experience” said the 22-year-old to Sporza. “My goal is to finish the race. I hope to also win a stage.”
In 2009 Boasson Hagen rode with Mark Cavendish for Team Columbia-HTC, helping the Manxman claim several victories before going on to win the Tour of Britain and stages in the Giro d’Italia and Tour of Poland.
In 2010 he will be trading in his Columbia-HTC jersey to join Bradley Wiggins and compatriot Kurt-Asle Arvensen ¬at Britain’s new Team Sky. Boasson Hagen will be shooting for success at the Spring Classics including the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.
“I am happy to be able to ride those races. My goal is to race to the best of my ability,” he said.
The British team will debut in Australia at the Santos Tour Down Under, but Boasson Hagen isn’t scheduled to be making an appearance at the race. His debut with the team is likely to begin at the Tour of Qatar, where many riders targeting the Spring Classics start their build up.