Thor Hushovd's Paris-Roubaix podium place was just one of many Cervélo showings (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
The men's and women's Cervélo TestTeam spread itself thin over the weekend, contesting several races over the Easter weekend. Thor Hushovd's podium place in Paris-Roubaix and a win for Claudia Häussler in Germany were the best results. Two more top five places completed the good Easter showing. Heinrich Haussler took over the lead in the UCI world ranking.
Hushovd set the decisive attack in the Carrefour de l'Arbre in Paris-Roubaix, but he crashed a few moments later. That left him unable to get back to Tom Boonen (Quick Step) and Filippo Pozzato (Team Katusha). He still outwitted two Lotto riders for third place.
Haussler took over the UCI world ranking lead from Allan Davis (Quick Step). After another strong performance in Paris-Roubaix, Haussler leads the rankings with 197 points, ahead of País Vasco winner Alberto Contador (Astana) with 188 points. Davis slipped to third with his 183 points.
Häussler won her first race of the season with Rund um Schönaich. She beat Sandra Gockert (Harvestehuder RSV) and Bianca Purath (Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung) in the six-lap race. Emilie Aubry, the only other Cervélo TestTeam rider participating, took sixth place.
Dominique Rollin narrowly missed the podium spot in Monday's Profronde van Drenthe, where he finished fifth. The race was won solo by Maurizio Biondo (Ceramica Flaminia-Bossini Docce), ahead of the peloton led by Kenny Van Hummel (Skil-Shimano) and Grega Bole (Amica Chips-Knauf).
Rollin's Sports Director Jean Paul van Poppel Sports Director was happy with the squad's work. "Today we saw great team work. Dominique Rollin rode a great race, he had super legs and he was maybe the best rider. Rollin was also in a breakaway earlier in the race and always active."
In the Unive World Cup race Sarah Düster earned finished fourth, the same result she had two days earlier in the Novilon Eurocup. The World Cup race in the Netherlands was won by Emma Johansson (Red Sun Cycling Team) ahead of Loes Gunnewijk (Team Flexpoint) and Chantal Blaak (Leontien.nl)
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"Today was a hard 140km race with some pavé and short climbs," said Sports Director Manel Lacambra at the end of the race. "After 30 km we put all the team to the front, to make a break before the start of the pavé." Things went well through the cobbles section. "After the pavé we tried to make some attacks but the other teams closed them down all the time.
"In the final we tried again and Sarah managed to go into the break of five. I thought that maybe the other teams like Columbia and DSB Bank would try to close it down for Ina-Yoko Teutenberg and Marianne Vos.
"It was pretty good, we all worked together and it was a hard finish," said Düster. "In the final me and Kirsten [Wild] tried to force a break. I was lucky to be in it with Johansson, Gunnewijk, Blaak, Verbeke and Lutz. I tried to go again because I am not as strong as Kirsten in the sprint. I didn't manage to get away, so I ended in fourth, which was good for me."
