Hushovd finds lead-out man again

By Jean-François Quénet in Scarperia

Just like in Frascati behind Robert Förster, Thor Hushovd finished second on the car circuit of Mugello, but it was the opposite scenario at the end. "The other day, there were five meters too much for me and today, with five more meters, I would have passed Petacchi, I think," he said after the finish, although he didn't know how strongly Danilo Napolitano was coming from behind after being boxed in. Had the finishing line been located five meters further, it might have been in favour of the Lampre sprinter as well.

"Maybe I should have opened the sprint earlier but I didn't have the legs for that. I got dropped in the hill earlier on, and I spent in the chase the energy that I missed at the end," said the Norwegian. "My team did a great job bringing me across. I had five guys with me. I'm also very happy with Julian Dean's lead out. He placed me perfectly on Bettini's wheel." The New Zealander is Hushovd's favourite lead-out man and Saturday's finish was a good sign that the two will work really well together at the Tour de France.