Hushovd as a first year pro in 2000(Image credit: AFP)
Thor Hushovd winning for BMC Racing(Image credit: AFP)
Thor Hushovd became road world champion in 2010(Image credit: AFP)
On top of the World in Geelong in 2010(Image credit: AFP)
Hushovd gave his all in the Spring Classics(Image credit: AFP)
Marking Fabian Cancellara in Paris-Roubaix(Image credit: AFP)
Thor Hushovd and Lance Armstrong in 2005(Image credit: AFP)
Thor Hushovd in yellow at the Tour de France(Image credit: AFP)
Hushovd and his Credit Agricole team hold off the favourites in the 2004 Tour TTT(Image credit: AFP)
A change of bikes at the Olympics in 2004(Image credit: AFP)
The Devil gives Hushovd his support at the Tour de France(Image credit: AFP)
Off the front as world champion in the 2011 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP)
Hushovd won two stages of the Tour in 2011. (Image credit: AFP)
Hushovd taken on the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix(Image credit: AFP)
Hushovd was always strong against the clock(Image credit: AFP)
Disaster at the Tour when Hushovd was hit by a fan in the crowd(Image credit: AFP)
Hushovd welcomes everyone to the gun show(Image credit: AFP)
On the podium with Haussler and Cavendish in Milan San Remo(Image credit: AFP)
Thor Hushovd wins Cervelo's first Tour stage in Barcelona in 2009(Image credit: AFP)
Hushovd was always well supported as a rider(Image credit: AFP)
Hushovd could climb as well as sprint which made him a contender for green in the Tour(Image credit: AFP)
Winning the green jersey at the 2009 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP)
Thor Hushovd in Cervelo TestTeam colours(Image credit: AFP)
On top of the World as the U23 time trial champion in 1998(Image credit: AFP)
Thor Hushovd brought the curtain down on his long and illustrious career at the Primus Classic Impanis-Van Petegem on Saturday. The former World Champion announced that he would retire this season and picked the Belgian race as his final outing as a professional rider. He turned professional with the French outfit, Credit Agricole, in 2000 having spent the second half of the previous season at the team as a stagiare.
During his career Hushovd has developed from a promising time trialist - he was U23 world champion in 1998 – into one of the most accomplished one-day riders and sprinters of the modern peloton. He won the green jersey at the Tour de France on two occasions as well as Gent-Wevelgem title and the World Championships in Australia 2010. Although his form and fitness have declined in recent times he has remained an integral member of the BMC team and helped bring on the team’s next generation of talent.
Hushovd placed 48th in the Primus Classic Impanis-Van Petegem with his teammate Greg Van Avemaet taking the win.
"It is a strange feeling and it is kind of sad in one way," Hushovd said.
"There is a lot of emotion. But I am really in a good place and proud of my career. It has been a great 15 years."
Team director Max Sciandri, who raced against Hushovd, paid tribute to the Norwegian: "Thor will be a great inspiration for younger generations and it is great he finished with the BMC Racing Team. We hope all the best for him."
Click here for a gallery of images from Hushovd’s career.
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Age: 36 Team: BMC Racing Team Nationality: Norwegian
