Despite concerns that the BMC Racing Team may have too many leaders for its own good, Thor Hushovd has confirmed the Tour de France will be all about Cadel Evans. At the end of last season the team added some serious reinforcements to its roster by signing Hushovd and Philippe Gilbert, the latter off the back of his most successful season. It also brought in powerful time trial riders such as Tejay van Garderen, Marco Pinotti and Steve Cummings, among others.
Gilbert and Hushovd both won stages at the Tour last year with spells in the yellow jersey but admitted they knew what they were signing up for when agreeing to join the team.
“It’s easy, Cadel is the defending winner…our main goal is to help him try to win the Tour de France because myself and Philippe cannot win that race,” said Hushovd at the team’s press conference this week. “We have to sacrifice something. I knew this and Philippe knew this when we signed for this team. But for myself, it’s something new in my career. I never rode into Champs Élysées [in the same team as] the yellow jersey. This is something I’d like to experience.”
Meanwhile the Giro d’Italia confirmed yesterday that Hushovd would be starting the Italian race. The Norwegian last took part in the event back in 2007 and was awarded a stage win after finishing second behind Alessando Petacchi; the Italian was later disqualified for using a banned substance.
At the press conference Gilbert confirmed the Classics would be a major focus for himself and Hushovd. With regards to the Tour de France he said the green jersey would not be a target this year, with the only objective being yellow.
“We will do everything for [Evans] and support him to be in the right position, to save energy and to be in the best position to win this Tour again.”