Boasson Hagen ends season early

Edvald Boasson Hagen has ended his season, citing exhaustion. The Team Sky rider said that he has not touched his bike since the World Championships, but that he hopes to open his 2012 season at the Tour Down Under for the first time.

“The main reason is that I now had the opportunity to take time off ,” he told procycling.no. “I'm tired after a long season and was not particularly motivated to ride the last races.”

Right now, the 24-year-old is taking two weeks totally free from training. “Then I will start with a different activity before starting my preparations for next season the end of the month or the beginning of November.”

Boasson Hagen is looking to start his season in a new way. “I want to ride the Tour Down Under. I have not ridden it before and I think it would be ok to try something new for the spring season. If it works well, I might ride it the next year, too. If it doesn't work out, then at least I will know that.”

Riding in Australia might mean he would miss the Tours of Qatar and Oman. He has finished second in the latter race the last two years. “I don't know yet. We have not talked about the remaining races on the season schedule.”

This year, he opened his season with a second-place overall in Oman.  He won two stages at the Tour de France and the Vattenfall Cyclassics, took his national time trial title and won the overall at the Eneco Tour of Benelux.