7 Highly Effective Steps to Winning a TdF Stage

Garmin Cervelo in today's presentation for best team ©Graham Watson

Jul 21st, 11. Julian Dean shares Thor Hushovd's Seven Highly Effective Steps to Winning a Tour de France Stage.

In his blog, Dean predicted his Garmin Cervelo teammate would win Stage 13 in the Pyrenees, and the results show that is exactly what happened.

The World Champion surprised everyone, except Julz apparently, when he took on the climbers in the high mountains of the Pyrenees, and won.

Since then, Hushovd went on to win another stage, again from a break group.

Before this Tour, Garmin Cervelo had not had a Tour victory, now they have four wins thanks to the team time trial, Tyler Farrar's sprint success and Hushovd's double - they also had a week in the yellow jersey and currently lead the Teams Classification. 

In one of Dean's latest blog updates, he shares great insights into the tales told at dinner the night after Hushovd's first win.

"If Thor was to write a guide on how to win a TdF stage it might go along the lines of ... " he wrote.

The Seven Highly Effective Steps to Winning a Tour de France Stage.

by Thor Hushovd, as relayed by Julian Dean

Hushovd winning Stage 13 ©Graham Watson

2. When you are in the breakaway and it is a mountain stages, bluff as much as you can. What does that mean when you are a sprinter? At the base of the first climb when everyone is looking at each other, attack them. They will never expect it from a sprinter.

3. By the time the break sorts itself out and the good climbers start riding their tempo up the climb, you are already half way up the Col de Aubisque by the time they catch you. The rest of those in the break who can't climb will be dropped by now.

4. When the climbers from the break catch and pass you, continue at your own tempo and set yourself a goal of not losing more than two minutes by the top.

5. On the descent go as fast as you can to catch the climbers who passed you on the climb. If you hit a top speed of 112km/hr at points where everyone else is doing around 80km/hr, you should have no problem catching them. Be aware that at times your bike will jolt and bounce sideways through corners. During those moments hold on tight.

6. Having caught the riders who passed and dropped you on the climb, take your time and be cool. You are now with climbers and they will have nothing on you in the flat run into the finish.

7. Once in the closing kilometres of the stage, chuck your bike into a big gear and roll away from the remaining breakaway riders. At the appropriate moment throw your arms proudly high into the sky and win the stage.

"At dinner last night that was basically the run down Thor gave us on how the stage played out. All of it is factual information. Believe it or not. I think I said it last week when I predicted that he would win this stage, he really is in his moment right now - the stuff dreams are made of," wrote Dean.

Read all of Julian Dean's updates on his blog ...

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