Tour de France: Hushovd wins 13th stage; Voeckler keeps Yellow Jersey

Salman Zahoor July 16, 2011 0

Tour de France: Hushovd wins 13th stage; Voeckler keeps Yellow Jersey

LOURDES, France: Thor Hushovd of Norway won 13^th stage of the Tour de France cycle race 2011 and put waters on hopes of a first French victory in the current edition of the Tour from Pau to Lourdes on Friday.

Thor Hushovd. Courtesy: Getty Images

The Norwegian world champion rider outpaced two local riders who tried to win it for the nation a day after the Bastille Day, the French National Day. However, Thoomas Voeckler did give the local fans something to cheer about as he kept his control over the Yellow Jersey.

Hushovd had won the third stage of the Tour de France 2010 and earlier helped his team to win the second stage of the current edition of the Tour and was able to keep possession of the Yellow Jersey for some time before Voeckler snatched it. It is important to mention here that Thor Hushovd has won at least one stage of the Tour since 2002 when he first won here and since then the Norwegian rider has won Green Jersey two times.

Thor Hushovd. Courtesy: AP PHOTO

Before Friday’s victory, although Hushovd had helped his team to win a stage but the Norwegian was yet to achieve anything for him but this time he showed his class in the last 2.5 kilometers of the phase and outraced David Moncoutie and Jeremy Roy who led the race almost for the whole stage.

Terming this one as his best victory in France, Hushovd told local reporters, “It’s my best win on the Tour de France because we had to climb the Aubisque, which did not suit me and I finished on my own with the rainbow jersey on my back.

Thor Hushovd. Courtesy: AP PHOTO

Disappointed about losing the Yellow Jersey to Thomas Voeckler, Hushovd said, “Since losing the yellow jersey, I was really tired because I gave it my all in the first week. But I had the legs back today to go for it.”

Talking about how Hushovd stole the show, Jeremy Roy said, “It’s a bitter pill to swallow. It was close but close or not close, the only thing that matters is to win”.

Thomas Voeckler. Courtesy: Reuters

This year’s Tour has been favorable one for the local riders in a sense that they now have possession of three main jerseys. Jeremy Roy has King of the Mountains jersey, while his teammate Arnold Jeannesson wears the Best Young Rider’s White Jersey. Another Frenchman Thomas Voeckler has leader’s Yellow Jersey.