My name is Elin - A pro cycling lover's reflections

Thor Hushovd is lone leader for Tour of Flanders

Category: Cycling

Okay, I am done with school today. Time to go home. Or at least I can start thinking about going home. I am starting to feel a bit gloomy about being in Motala, but I know that I'll return to Nyköping tomorrow, and therefore I should try to be happy.

Both Heinrich Haussler and Andreas Klier are injured. This mean that Thor Hushovd will be Cervelo TestTeam's leader at this weekend's Tour of Flanders. His major Classics goal is still Paris-Roubaix, but surely he would like a good result on Sunday.

"I'd rather be good on Sunday because then I know my form is there [for Roubaix], but we'll see what happens," Hushovd said.

During the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen Harelbeke last week Hushovd was forced to abandon the race after 14 kilometer. He was food poisoned and couldn't continue. Hours later, Klier crashed and suffered severe concussion at the same race.

"I was vomiting just before the start [of E3 Prijs]. I had nothing left, so I just turned around," Hushovd said. "This year everything's gone a little bit against us - it's bad, but hey, things happen."

They have not been lucky this year. But perhaps this is good. They have less pressure to win. Still they have a lot of pressure to do well. The teams and fans know that Thor Hushovd can win. Even without a strong team.

"Of course it makes it more difficult without Heinrich and Andreas Klier, but I just have to race my race and try to do as well as I did last year. Then it's up to the legs to see if I can be there for the win or not." Said Thor Hushovd.
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