Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen claimed his and Team Sky’s maiden Tour de France victory when he powered to victory in the race’s sixth stage on Thursday.
Compatriot Thor Hushovd of Garmin-Cervelo, finished third to retain the race leader’s yellow jersey after 226.5km of racing from Dinan on the north coast to Lisieux in Normandy.
After the longest stage of the race, held in rainy conditions, Boasson Hagen proved the strongest from a bunch sprint that saw Australian Matt Goss of HTC-Highroad finish second.
Boasson Hagen only just squeezed into Team Sky’s squad after he picked up a dose of shingles in the week leading to the fabled race.
And despite being a key helper in Bradley Wiggins’ bid for the yellow jersey, Boasson Hagen repaid their faith by bringing the British outfit an historic first win in the world’s premier cycling event.
“It was a goal when I started this Tour, so it’s great to finally achieve it,” said Boasson Hagen, who hails from a small village north of Lillehammer. “It really great to stand up on top of the podium and look at all the people. With Thor having the yellow jersey, it’s a great day for Norway.”
Hushovd, who took the yellow jersey when Garmin won the team time trial on Sunday, retained his overall lead of one second on Australia’s two-time runner-up Cadel Evans of BMC.
Despite being beaten by a bike length, Hushovd was quick to applaud the feat of his compatriot.
“It’s not too bad, eh? A little country like Norway and we’ve got the stage win and the yellow jersey,” Hushovd said.
After an early five-man breakaway had seen their 11-minute lead slashed by the time the peloton crested the category-four Cote Saint-Michel-de-Montjoie at the 99.5km mark, Dutchman Lieuwe Westra and Italian Adriano Malori were left on their own up front.
Their lead stood at about 2 minutes, 30 seconds when the remnants of the escape were reeled in 40km from the finish, but soon Malori was going solo as Westra tired.
Malori, a former under-23 world time trial champion, fought a valiant battle for the final 20km, but was caught with less than 3km to race as the sprinters’ teams drove a furious pace.
On the climb to the finish, Omega-Pharma tried to provoke stage contender Philippe Gilbert’s rivals by attacking, although only Thomas Voeckler of Europcar took the bait.
The pair were easily reeled in as Garmin’s David Millar drove the pace, with the stage and yellow jersey favorites sitting tensely on his wheel.
Attacks by Alexandre Vinokourov of Astana and Dutchman Bauke Mollema in the final kilometer came to nothing and in the end none of Boasson Hagen’s rivals had the power to match him when he powered up the inside to take an unassailable lead.
Gilbert, who won the opening stage, could only finish seventh despite the hilly finish appearing to suit his abilities.
“Even a very good Goss and a strong Hushovd wouldn’t have beat him [Boasson Hagen]. He deserved the win,” said Gilbert, who kept the points competition’s green jersey by a point from Spaniard Jose Joaquin Rojas of Movistar.
As in previous days, Welshman Geraint Thomas was a constant threat up front, but sacrificed his own chances for Boasson Hagen.
“I just tried to stay close to the front all the time and going up the climb I was spinning my legs and felt really good,” Boasson Hagen added. “Then Thomas came up and gave me a really good lead-out. I saw the line and went for the victory.”
Spain’s defending champion Alberto Contador finished with the front group in 48th place and remains 1 minute, 42 seconds off the pace, 1 minute, 41 seconds and 1 minute, 30 seconds behind main rivals Evans and Andy Schleck respectively.
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