34 days ago, Thor Hushovd collided with a young girl while out training. The unlucky crash with the girl resulted in a broken collarbone for last year's Green Jersey winner, and suddenly, Hushovd's Tour de France was thrown into jeopardy. Less than five weeks after breaking his collarbone, Thor Hushovd returned to racing and began his comeback ahead of the Tour de France with a quiet 129th place finish, 59 seconds behind moto-man, Fabian Cancellara, in today's opening time trial at the Tour de Suisse.
The nine day race should be good medicine for the former Norwegian champion, but even with the training and fitness he gains at the Tour de Suisse, finding top form will be difficult. Even worse for Hushovd will be the battle he wages with his still mending body. A recent x-ray showed that the fracture is still not completely healed. Hushovd is in the unfortunate position of having to fight through the final stages of the healing process right now in order to have a chance at the Tour de France - and it's not a pleasant experience.
"The break has not healed. When I have my weight on the bars, it makes it a little sore down through my arm. Basic movements, which are inevitable, result in a stronger pain in my clavicle. I'm involuntarily sitting a little too tense on the bike to avoid the pain."
Considering that Hushovd is still technically racing on a broken collarbone, even starting in Lugano today was a success. Accordingly, Hushovd has no high aspirations for the Tour de Suisse this week. His only real goal is to get through the race, but that could still be a tall order.
"The goal is to get through. If I do, I will be very pleased. It is a very hard race with many mountains. After all, I have not raced in two months. I have to try to get used to the distance and find the racing rhythm again."
With his current physical predicament and the important time he lost over the last five weeks, Hushovd is already readjusting his plans for the Tour de France. The first goal to see the chopping block is the opening prologue in Rotterdam on July 3rd: "The Tour prologue was one of my main goals, but not anymore."
After that, the first week would normally be an important time for Hushovd to shine in the race for the Green Jersey, but the former Norwegian champion is hesitant to put too much hope on the Maillot Vert.
"If I understand that I cannot contend properly, then I'm going to give up the fight for the Green Jersey early. I might place my bets more on sprints where I have done well before, or I may look to other things."
Hushovd's progress over the next week will be interesting to follow. If he is able to make it through the grueling nine stages of the Tour de Suisse, one has to believe that his chances at the Tour de France will be a hundred fold better. There isn't much time to prepare, but for a rider of Hushovd's class, it doesn't seem a wild hope for him to still contend come July.
Hushovd doesn't seem to be losing too much sleep over his predicament though: "I will go to the Tour de France with an open mind. I'm not properly prepared, but it may go ok…There are luckily three weeks at the Tour de France."