Confirming rumours circulating after his world championship win in Australia in October, Thor Hushovd has stated that he did seek a better deal with the Garmin-Cervélo team after he took the rainbow jersey.
However because of a tight budget, little could be done. He had already signed a binding agreement and so he has had to continue with what he has.
“I have not received any new offers from Garmin,” he told Fædrelandsvennen. “They want to give me a better contract, and they’ve tried as well, I know. But they have no more money, they have used up their budget.”
According to the Norwegian newspaper, Hushovd is on similar money to what he earned with Cervélo. That is estimated at approximately 10 million Norwegian Kroner (€1.2 million, or $1.6 million). After the worlds, Hushovd was thought to have received many offers, with Quick Step and Pegasus Racing amongst those understood to have been interested.
Had he been a free agent, he could have ended up with more money, but he had agreed a deal prior to the Australian race and so there was no room for manoeuvre. To his credit, he’s sanguine about it.
“That's just the way it is, so I do not use the time and energy to fret over it,” he said. “It's not my job.
“They want to appreciate me and the world champion’s jersey, but this is some of the risk of signing a new contract early.”
However his deal is for just one season, opening up the marketplace to him for 2011. On the weekend of the Tour of Lombardy he and his agent met with the Garmin team’s CEO Jonathan Vaughters to discuss the possibility of staying longer, but it appears that nothing has been worked out. That leaves open the possibility that he could ride elsewhere in fourteen month’s time.
“I do not know what happens after 2011,” he admitted. “Now I almost have to wait and see if I like Garmin first, I have not met the people there yet.”
Co-operation needed on new team:
One benefit to being with Garmin-Cervélo rather than a squad such as Pegasus Racing is the sheer weight of talent and experience that the team offers. There are some strong riders with the new Australian team, but the sheer depth of talent on the team he will compete with this coming season is impressive. That could be of big assistance to Hushovd when he is trying to take major goals such as Paris-Roubaix; if team tactics are used correctly, that could enhance his chances of snagging top results there and in other events.
What is important, though, is to ensure that everyone is on the same sheet and that the best possible co-operation is in place. The danger of having too many chiefs is as clear as are the benefits of a strong team; when things gel, the effect can be a very powerful one, but that requires things to be structured in the right way and for everyone to pull together for the best interests of the team.
One of those whose abilities overlap with Hushovd is the younger rider Tyler Farrar. While he doesn’t have the same record in the Classics, he is arguably a quicker sprinter than his Norwegian team-mate and might be a better bet for the Tour Maillot Vert that Hushovd won in 2005 and 2009.
The 32 year old stresses the importance of working things out early. “We need to really sit down and talk about the opportunities we have, and that’s what they are – opportunities,” he said. “We must take advantage of the fact that we have such strong riders.”
Hushovd wants to ensure that the right balance is struck and that everyone is happy with their goals. He makes it clear that he wants to aim for the major races, and also expects Farrar to try to take as many wins as possible. It’s inevitable that they will sometimes have the same goals, and so coming to an understanding is crucial.