Boasson Hagen sidelined by Achilles problems at Tirreno-Adriatico

Edvald Boasson Hagen's build-up for Milan-San Remo hasn't gone completely to plan as the 23-year-old Norwegian withdrew from stage five of Tirreno-Adriatico on Sunday due to a tender Achilles tendon. Team Sky's management, however, believes Boasson Hagen will be ready to race on Saturday at Milan-San Remo, the first Monument of the 2011 season.

"He'd been feeling a twinge in his Achilles so we didn't want to risk making that any worse going into Milan-San Remo," said Team Sky sports director Marcus Ljunqvist. "He was riding okay but we pulled him out at the feed zone because that was where our soigneurs were and they were able to treat him and get him warmed up straightaway.

"There's absolutely nothing to worry about, though, his form is great and it's certainly not serious, we just wanted to make sure he is 100 percent ready to go on Saturday.

"He's had a good race [at Tirreno-Adriatico] and it's been great preparation for him. He'll stay in Italy now to do some specialist training with us before taking his place on the start line in Milan - there is no doubt about that."

Boasson Hagen's manager, Birger Hungerholdt, spoke with him on Monday and confirmed to tv2sporten.no his plan to compete at Milan-San Remo. "Edvald feels in good shape. He'll take it easy for a few days, then the ambition is to attend Milan-San Remo."

According to tv2sporten.no, Boasson Hagen was examined by Tom Skjønnhaug, the muscle and joint specialist who treated the Sky rider last year when his spring Classic campaign was ruined by an Achilles injury. The Achilles tendon affecting Boasson Hagen this time, however, is different from the one he injured last season.

Boasson Hagen raced through the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen-Harelbeke on March 27 last season, but then missed the remainder of the spring Classics season before returning to competition on May 30 at Germany's Bayern Rundfahrt.