Nice to see Christopher Leading in the mountains

Nice Tirreno so far.

Hope to see finale to both P-N and T-A soon

Stage 5
A tough day with a steep uphill finish. Since Falcon – STARK is here with their main cobble-riders we shouldn’t expect too much of them with a finish like this one.
5 riders were out early today, most interestingly Alexander Kristoff (Katusha).
It may be the rain having an effect, but the peloton doesn’t really seem able to wheel in the break. In spite of Garmin, Movistar and Europcar collaborating in front the break continues to widen it’s gap. With 70 km to go the break has a gap of 12 minutes!

With 23 km to go it seems to end in a battle between Elmiger and Malacarne. Kristoff is in the virtual lead.
Back in the peloton the high speed set by Orica – GreenEdge is tarting to have its effect, but Hushovd remains right there at the front ready to snatch some points for the jersey.
Malacarne proves untouchable today as Hushovd sprints to a 10th on the stage expanding his lead in the points classification and climbing to 2nd in the GC

Stage Results:
1. Davide Malacarne, Liquigas - Cannondale
2. Martin Elmiger, AG2R La Mondiale
3. Jelle Vanendert, Lotto Belisol
10. Thor Hushovd, Falcon – STARK
Points: Thor Hushovd, Falcon – STARK



Stage 6
A lot of smaller hills on the course, but a fairly flat finish should favor Hushovd over the other GC contenders today.
Everything starts out very quiet with GC-leader Poels and Hushovd leading the peloton.

Finally on the first climb of the day things start moving resulting in Taaramäe and Thomas forming a duo in front. Not a lot is happening in the peloton and four additional riders break free, and join Taaramäe, who have now been left behind by Geraint Thomas. Thomas goes uncontested to the win, as Hushovd decides to attack early surprising Wout Poels and regaining the yellow jersey.

Stage Results:
1. Geraint Thomas, Sky
2. Anthony Roux, FDJ - BigMat
3. Jérôme Pineau, Omega Pharma - Quickstep
8. Thor Hushovd, Falcon – STARK
Leader: Thor Hushovd, Falcon – STARK
Points: Thor Hushovd, Falcon – STARK

Brilliant way to win back the leader's jersey

Great job

Great riding from Thor

Stage 3
With a fairly easy course ended by a hilltop finish this should be a day for the punchers.
The riders does their best, but none of them have the luck to get in the decisive break. And in the end an 80-rider group will decide on the final climb.

Stage Results:
1. Elia Favilli, Farnese Vini – Selle Italia
2. Oscar Gatto, Farnese Vini – Selle Italia
3. Maciej Paterski, Liquigas - Cannondale
35. Jesper Hansen, Falcon – STARK
Mountains: Christopher Juul-Jensen, Falcon – STARK



Stage 4
Another flat stage with a slight uphill finish.
As the tradition tells a break gets away, but today the sprinters mistimed the hunt allowing Sella to take the win. Jesper Hansen makes himself noticed by attacking at the bottom of the hill before the sprint starts, but he still has to work a lot on his acceleration.

Stage Results:
1. Emanuele Sella, Androni Giacottoli - Venezuela
2. Diego Ulissi, Lampre - ISD
3. Timofey Kritskiy, Katusha
23. Jesper Hansen, Falcon – STARK
Mountains: Christopher Juul-Jensen, Falcon – STARK

Hansen still holding the Mountains jersey

Still got the mountains. Good job

The team's real consistent. It almost never goes home empty-handed, that's nice

Sutty: Well, actually Juul-Jensen took it from him

Jakstar: Thanks, though I have to admit there have been much of a contest for the sprints

Ian: That is part of my race philosophy: Take whatever you can get, and in this race I don't think either GC or stages are realistic

Stage 7
A very hilly day. Especially the big climb with summit 30 km from goal could become a problem for Hushovd if someone decide to make it hard.
A large break get loose (as usual) and in spite of god work by Grönlund and especially Bak on the climb Daniel Moreno is in the virtual lead at the summit.

When Lars Bak is completely exhausted Hushovd himself attack on the descent hoping to win back the lost time. He gains a lot of time on the break, but right before goal the peloton catches up with him again.

Stage Results:
1. Daniel Moreno, Katusha
2. Christophe Le Mével, Garmin - Sharp
3. Bradley Wiggins, Sky
28. Thor Hushovd, Falcon – STARK
Leader: Thor Hushovd, Falcon – STARK
Points: Thor Hushovd, Falcon – STARK





Stage 8
This last stage of the race is all about protecting Hushovd’s lead and though the route has three big hills none of them are too steep, so it should be possible - unless someone decide to make it hard...
A break with no major GC contenders get away on the first flat part, while Falcon – STARK, Movistar and Katusha keep things under control over the first two climbs, but right from the bottom of the third climb things start moving as four riders from the GC top ten attack. Thor know that he cannot follow the likes of Valverde and Rodriguez up the mountain so he will have to hang in there and rely in his great descending like yesterday.
The peloton can’t catch up with the front group. Luckily that only contained “harmless� riders. Thor on the other hand had spend far too much energy on his downhill attack to put in a decent sprint. Still his efforts were rewarded as Valverde, Rodriguez and Mollema were caught right on the line by the sprinting peloton.

Stage Results:
1. Tom Slagter, Rabobank
2. Michael Albasini, Orica - GreenEdge
3. Ryder Hesjedal, Radioshack - Nissan
15. Thor Hushovd, Falcon – STARK



Final Standing:
1. Thor Hushovd, Falcon - STARK
2. Wout Poels, Euskaltel - Euskadi
3. Jelle Vanendert, Lotto Belisol Team




Mountains: Martin Elmiger, AG2R La Mondiale
Points: Thor Hushovd, Falcon - STARK
Young Rider: Carlos Betancur, Acqua & Sapone
Team: Movistar

AMAZING victory!

A Brilliant and totally deserved Victory for Thor Hushovd

GO HUSHOVD!!!!

Great overall victory. You deserve a

Falcon - STARK's Swedish veteran have just announced that he will be retiring from the life as a professional cyclist at the end of the season.


We have caught team manager Allan Grønborg for a comment:





[img-l]https://www.oakley.com/a/d5/14/BAh7CGkKIgo5Nng5NmkLbCsHu5FYT2kIaQOgmQI.jpg[/img-l]Don't forget the upcoming interview with Thor Hushovd. There is still time for you to ask him any questions you might have for him.
We have been promised he will answer any question!

His retirement had to come sooner or later, he couldn't go on forever

But at least he will still play some part in the Team, like finding the new version of himself

BÄCKSTEDT finally leaving cycling. A long and great career from him.

So he ain't going for the Jens record?