Haussler puts boil behind him to go for victory

Friday, 17 July 2009
Alasdair Fotheringham
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Heinrich Haussler, Tour de France 2009, stage 13

Heinrich Haussler’s remarkable ride to victory on stage 13 of the Tour de France came less than a week after the Cervélo rider had been suffering from a large saddle sore.

Speaking to Cycling Weekly on the race’s first rest day, Haussler said that the sore had flared up after the Barcelona stage - where heavy rain had thrown up a lot of dirt and grease from the city centre roads.

Four days later in Limoges, the swelling had finally started to go down but Haussler still avoided preferred to avoid the Cervelo training ride as a precaution.

Fast forward another four days and Haussler battled through wind and rain and over five classified mountain climbs to take a win which he described as one of the biggest of his career.

"It's a big, big day for me," said Haussler. "I was lucky in spite of the bad weather or perhaps because of it.

"When I realised in the last kilometre I was going to win, I told myself 'don't crash'."

Second in Milan - San Remo behind a certain Mark Cavendish by barely a tyre’s width, Haussler said he was determined the same scenario wouldn’t happen again.

“I was with [Sylvain] Chavanel for a good part of the day, but I kept on telling myself, ‘you’re not going to get second, you’re not going to get second.’”

“Now I’ve won here, I can finally put Milan - San Remo behind me.”

Those surprised by Haussler’s performance in the Vosges should remember his ride in the GP Schwarzwald one-day race in Germany this May. It involves 3,500 metres of climbing and only 20 riders finished. Haussler won.

TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 LINKS
Tour de France 2 009 - the hub: Index to reports, photos, previews and more.

STAGE REPORTS
Stage 13: Haussler braves rain for victory in Colmar
Stage 12: Sorensen wins in Vittel as Cavendish goes for green
Stage 11: Cavendish takes fourth win to equal Hoban's record
Stage 10: Cavendish spoils Bastille Day party to take third stage win
Stage nine: Third French win as contenders content with ceasefire
stage eight: Sanchez wins from break as Tour favourites cancel each other out
Stage seven: Feillu wins at Arcalis, Nocentini takes yellow, Contador leap-frogs Lance
Stage six: Millar's brave bid denied on Barcelona hill as Hushovd triumphs
Stage five: Voeckler survives chase to win his first Tour stage
Stage four: Astana on top but Armstrong misses yellow by hundredths of a second
Live Tour de France stage four TTT coverage
Stage three: Cavendish wins second stage as Armstrong distances Contador
Stage two: Cavendish takes first sprint
Stage one: Cancellara wins opening time trial