Norwegian still trying to get into shape
A frustrating season for 2010 world champion Thor Hushovd is continuing, with the Norwegian not starting today’s stage of the Tour of Poland and admitting that his Olympic Games are far from certain.
“I came here to Poland after a big break of racing; I haven’t raced since the Giro,” he said today. “I was happy to be here and finally get back on a bike, but I have found out after four stages that I am far away from my level. I still feel something is wrong and now I am just focussed to sort out the problem.”
Hushovd has not approached anything like his best form this year, with the BMC Racing Team rider citing illness as the reason. He did take a solid fifth place on stage seven of Paris-Nice but was unable to hit peak condition in Paris-Roubaix, his main goal for the start of the season. He was fourteenth there. He then went on to the Giro d’Italia where he hoped to net a stage, but pulled out on stage six because of tiredness.
Because of the disruptions, Hushovd decided not to ride the Tour de France, opting instead for the shorter, later Tour of Poland for his return. That now hasn’t worked out and, after stage placings of 184th, 152nd, 168th and 182nd, he’s heading home.
As for the Olympics, that’s surely looking doubtful. “At the moment it is of course difficult because I don’t have the level today,” he admitted. “I also don’t want to go to London and the Olympics only to put a start number on my back.
“I have to give myself a few more days, talk to the Olympic federation and then find out what we are going to do.”