There are a couple of Norwegian cyclists that have made the headlines this year and due to a heavy Scandenavian presence in the pro peleton you would expect the young talent to have a great chance to develop as the years go on.
Thor Hushovd is beginning to show the signs of age but still got up to win the HC class CTour Tour of Denmark as well as the De Panne Tour. He formed part of the promotion winning Milka squad and they will join B and O in the pro leagues, that teams undoubted star is Edvald Boassen Hagen winner this year of the Fleche Wallonie. Watch out in this race also for the developing Telenor team whose best chance in this race is Stijn Remme.
Not a particularly hilly setting, but some short ramps in there for the riders. A break of three got away early...
Last year’s champion Kristoff (UBS) lead the break with TTing youngster Vassdal and Sony rider Enaes. It is a fairly windy day and some of the peleton decide to phone this one in, B and O you would think would try and chase but after a half hearted effort give up quickly.
These three ride smoothly together until about 20km to go when Enaes decides to try and attack the other two.
Kristoff is by far the best sprinter of the three and it is he who draws this back together again.
It looks like Enaes is done for the day, this was an all or nothing attack. Now Vassdal is trying to rid his opponents with a time trial style.
Kristoff clings to his wheel though and as the sprint starts he eases past the Telenor youngster.
...and defends his Norwegian title.
Hushovd sprints out of the pack for 4th behind Vassdal and Enaes.
All round tough man Thor Hushovd is our favourite for the Norwegian TT championships, his main competition will like be young Boassen Hagen.
Telenor will need some favourable conditions (well fairly extreme ones) to take it and it is a close fight between Pro squad rider Wilman and U23 rider Vassdal as to who goes fastest.
Wilman just edges a close battle between these two.
Following these two we have another team battle, or more like one rider setting checks for the other to compare too in B and O pair Stenerson and Hagen.
