Thor Hushovd – “I have to take every opportunity...”

“When I saw the climbs today I was afraid it was too hard but my team-mates, mainly Andreas Klier, gave me some morale up the final ascent and I came back and I could stay in the peloton so to end up in the green jersey means it’s been the perfect day for me.
“I’m able to get points by holding on over the climbs. Cavendish is the fastest one when it’s flat so I have to take every opportunity; and today I was presented with one so I seized the moment. This is my tactic. That’s how it’s going to be for the rest of the Tour – I’ll go for every point I can, on the flat days, in the mountains… everything. Every year it’s a big battle for the green jersey. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens.
“Heinrich did a great job to put himself in the breakaway and he had to be really strong to be up there on this hilly, cold and rainy day so congrats to him. He showed again that he’s a classy rider.”