Thor Hushovd solo attack on stage 17 of the 2009 Tour de France is remembered as he won two intermediate sprints to take the Green Jersey.
Thor Hushovd is one of the pelotons fiercest and fastest sprinters, a former wearer of the yellow jersey of the Tour de France, a two time stage winner of le tour, 3 stages in the Vuelta a Espána and 1 stage in the Giro d’Italia as well as several other stage victories from various pro races.
Thor Hushovd will be competing in his 11th Pro season and is still hungry for victory. We spoke to him about the upcoming season, his training and which victories he is chasing this season. Thor took some time out from pre-season training to answer a few questions for RC of Bicycle Network Australia (BNA).
BNA: How is pre season training going? Where are you in your training program? What specific training have you been doing for the 2010 season?
My training have been going very good since I started mid November. Done long rides, and some specific sprint training.
BNA: Do you follow a strict diet during the season? How do you stay lean? What do you eat when you’re out on the road racing?
Its obviously hard to stay lean without the season, so I’ve to look after what I’m eating all the time. In the season, and in periods with a lof of training, I eat more. On the road I’m eating bars, and small sandwitches with cheese/ham, jam or maybe some Nutella if we’re lucky.
BNA: Tell us about your 2010 bike setup.
For 2010 we’ll ride with SRAM. Really surprised how good and easy it works for me. Specially in the sprint, its really fast. Except that, everything is same as on 2009. The S3 bike, with the fast ZIPP wheels.
BNA: Let’s talk about your team. How’s your team for 2010? Who will be leading you out this season?
I still have Brett Lancaster as my leadout man for the upcoming season. He’s for sure one the fastest in the world for that kind of job. we’ll work harder for this year, so we’re set up and ready for the Tour.
BNA: Do you think it’s possible for a team to have two goals, one for the green jersey and one for the yellow?
I think its possible. We had 2 goals this year, and we reach one of them with my green jersey win. And I did not have a complete team for me. If Sastre was strong as in the Giro, I’m sure he also would have been up the for the GC.
BNA: What are your goals for upcoming 2010 season? How do you determine which races to enter each year?
The spring classic are big goals, Milan-SanRemo, Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Also the worlds is a big one for me, since I never have done a big result in this one. Obviously the Tour with green jersey is a main goal.
BNA: What are the races you will be competing in next year?
Start up easy in France with Etoile de Besseges, then Tour of Algarve and then the classic in the north. To prepare the Tour I’ll normally do Tour of Bavaria and the Tour of Switzerland. Then a break to recover before I do the Vuelta, then fly direct to Melborne for the Worlds.
BNA: Are you looking for the Green Jersey, a stage win for yourself or the overall win for Carlos Sastre at the Tour de France in 2010?
My personal goal is stagewins and the Green Jersey. But I would also love to help Carlos to win another Tour de France, it’s a dream for every rider to be on that winning team.
BNA: Your main competition would be Mark Cavendish, do you think you can beat Mark Cavendish?
I know I can beat Cavendish, already done that. But he was faster then me last year, no doubt about that, but I know I can beat him. That why I still compete and train hard every day to become better!
BNA: How do you think your lead out is compared to Columbia’s?
The led out train Columbia had last year was incredible good. Every day the team delivered Cav perfectly. So we was a it weaker compare to them, but in he beginning of the year we where stronger. But remember in the Tour we had 4 climbers who didn’t help us in the sprint. Columbia had all 8 for Cav.
BNA: What’s your favorite victory from the past 11 season?
Think I will say the stagewin in Paris, on Champs Elysees.
Thank you Thor for taking the time for us and we wish you luck for the 2010 season and look forward to following you.
