Ballan aiming for victory in race he won three years ago
Out of racing since May 10th when he pulled out of the Giro d’Italia, Thor Hushovd will return to competition in three days time, exactly two months after that date. The 2011 world road race champion has recovered from his illness, has built up some form, and now wants to knuckle down again after missing the Tour de France.
“To be realistic, I just want to race well,” he said, talking about getting back in action. “I’m sure I won’t be good the first few days but I hope to get better day-by-day. By the end of the week, I look to have better condition than when I came in, to get me ready for the Olympics.”
He had hoped to ride the Tour de France, particularly as he took two individual stage wins last year and was also part of the victorious team time trial squad plus the winning lineup in the team classification. He moved to the BMC Racing Team this year and had hoped to ride alongside Cadel Evans, the defending champion.
“It’s hard to see all the riders fighting there and see my teammates riding there. I’d like to be there riding as part of the team but I’m certainly looking forward to racing Poland,” he said.
Also lining out in the race for the BMC Racing Team is Alessandro Ballan, Mathias Frank, Martin Kohler, Marco Pinotti, Mauro Santambrogio, Greg Van Avermaet and Danilo Wyss.
Pinotti won today’s time trial in the Tour of Austria and this week told VeloNation that in riding Austria and the Tour of Poland back to back, that he hoped to bump up his form prior to the Olympic Games.
Ballan won the race in 2009 and directeur sportif Max Sciandri believes that after being part of a training camp held last week, that he should be in top shape for the race.
“We did a lot of good work together, quite a bit of motor pacing and climbing,” he explained. “Alessandro knows this race well, so we have our eye on winning stages and contending for the overall.”
BMC Racing Team Tour de Pologne Roster (July 10-16):
Alessandro Ballan (ITA), Mathias Frank (SUI), Thor Hushovd (NOR), Martin Kohler (SUI), Marco Pinotti (ITA), Mauro Santambrogio (ITA), Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), Danilo Wyss (SUI).