Canadian worked hard to ensure Hushovd's stage win
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Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervelo) crossed the finish line in third and celebrates his teammate Thor Hushovd's stage victory.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervelo) celebrates teammate Thor Hushovd's victory as he crosses the finish line two seconds later.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo) outsprints Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) to win stage 16 while Hushovd's teammate Ryder Hesjedal has already started celebrating.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervelo) pushes the pace on the Col de Manse climb.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Ryder Hesjedal could hardly stand up after finishing stage 16 in Gap today. The adrenaline produced by victory helped Thor Hushovd smile as he headed to the podium, but Hesjedal's pain is clear to see in this video recorded just after the two hugged in celebration after taking first and third in Gap.
Hesjedal played the perfect team role for the world champion, and the Canadian did everything he could to ensure Hushovd would beat Edvald Boasson Hagen in the sprint to the line.
"When it's two against one, it does not getter than that," Hesjedal said.
"Edvald and Thor are both faster than me, so it was up to me to keep the pace and make sure Thor had the best chance to finish it off."
Hushovd's second stage is the fourth at the Tour de France for Garmin-Cervelo after they also won the team time trial and took two other stages with Tyler Farrar and Hushovd.
The team also has Tom Danielson well placed overall. Danielson finished just behind the Fränk Schleck chase group and so lost time to some of his GC rivals but is still ninth overall, 6:04 behind Thomas Voeckler.
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Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022, before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters, Shift Active Media, and CyclingWeekly, among other publications.
