Sastre, Hushovd, Haussler Tour-bound for Cervélo

Although they’ve been racked by bad luck and injuries, all three of Cervélo TestTeam’s top stars will line up for the 2010 Tour de France.

Carlos Sastre, Thor Hushovd and Heinrich Haussler all appear on the official Tour roster released Monday by the team.

Sastre, the 2008 Tour champ, suffered a debilitating back injury that kept him from his best at the recent Giro d’Italia. Thor Hushovd, the 2009 green jersey winner, is bouncing back from a broken collarbone suffered in May.

“I was really happy with my performance in the Tour de Suisse,” said Hushovd, who returned to racing at the Swiss tour. “When I started that race it was hard, so I took it easy, with no pressure from the team. I just did my race and prepared myself, and now I feel that I am ready for the Tour. My goals for the Tour are, like last year, to win the green jersey and to go for a stage win. The first week will be an especially interesting one, with the prologue and the stages toward Arenberg.”

Sastre suffered a ruptured disk during the Giro, but decided with the Cervélo TestTeam doctors that he will be able to start in Rotterdam.

“I had problems with my back that reappeared after the crash in the Giro. but thanks to the physiotherapist and doctors I consulted, these problems have disappeared and lately I have been training without pain,” Sastre said. “I have another 12 days of preparation and will be fit at the start of the Tour de France.”

“At 35 years, I have a lot of experience. I will use that experience during my 10th Tour de France,” Sastre continued. “I will be at the start line with enthusiasm and high morale. It is a really hard race, but that is the challenge that every athlete likes.”

Six of Cervélo’s starting nine are back from 2009, including Haussler, who crashed hard in a collision with Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) in a sprint finish during the recent Tour de Suisse.

“We are fortunate to have many excellent riders who will be in good shape and ready for the Tour,” said general manager Joop Alberda. “We are very pleased that Carlos has been given the green light to participate in this year’s Tour de France and that Thor and Heinrich have recovered well. We are now looking forward to an exciting three weeks of racing.”

Cervélo TestTeam for 2010 Tour de France: Xavier Florencio (ESP), Volodimir Gustov (UKR), Heinrich Haussler (GER), Jeremy Hunt (GBR), Thor Hushovd (NOR), Andreas Klier (GER), Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU), Brett Lancaster (AUS) and Carlos Sastre (ESP) Reserve: Daniel Lloyd (GBR)