Thor Hushovd will not compete at the the Tour de France and instead will ride the Tour de Pologne as he recovers from a viral infection that slowed him earlier this season, the BMC Racing Team announced Monday.
Program Adjusted
Hushovd has not raced since withdrawing from the Giro d’Italia after the fifth stage on May 10. BMC Racing Team Chief Medical Officer Dr. Max Testa said the former world road champion is in good health, but is not adequately prepared for the rigors of a grand tour. “We did perform some tests at the Mapei Sport Center after the Giro and found that he had signs of a viral infection from earlier in the year,” Testa said. “But everything now is normal.” The decision for Hushovd to skip the Tour de France was not an easy one, Directeur Sportif John Lelangue said. “We obviously would have liked to have had him on our Tour de France team,” Lelangue said. “But after evaluating everything, we think this program will better help him meet his own goals.
Hushovd agreed, saying he will use the time between now and the start of the Tour de Pologne to prepare himself for some of the most important races on his program. “I needed more time to recover and it’s always been a goal of mine to do well at the Olympics,” Hushovd said. “I also hope to be a part of the BMC Racing Team’s team time trial squad at the world championships and to compete in the road race as well. So there are still a lot of goals left to prove to myself this year.” Hushovd said the change to his program means he will also not compete in the Norwegian national road championships at the end of this month. Hushovd said the change to his program means he will also not compete in the Norwegian national road championships at the end of this month.
