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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Cycling star forced out of major races

Edvald Boasson Hagen, one of Norway’s biggest cycling stars behind Thor Hushovd, says he had no choice but to announce this week that he’s dropping both the Tour de France and the Norwegian championships this year. An injured achilles tendon means he has to rest and can only train carefully.

“I don’t feel capable of cycling in the Tour de France,” Hagen told news bureau NTB after consultations with Team Sky, for which he’s been riding since 2010. “I absolutely wanted to be on the team for the Tour, since that’s been the main goal all season, but now I need time to rest and train so I can come back later in the season.”

His contract with Sky runs out after this season and it’s not expected to be renewed. Hagen has been “in tight dialogue” with other “top teams” since last year, according to his manager, Birger Hungerholdt.

Hagen has also withdrawn from the Norwegian championships at Eidsvoll this week and it’s not certain he’ll cycle in the Arctic Race of Norway in August either. The 27-year-old from Lillehammer has had a disappointing season so far, after getting involved in two collisions in Giro d’Italia, sustaining new injury in the Route du Sud and failing to land on winners’ podiums. He hopes to be back on his bike seat this autumn.

newsinenglish.no staff

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