Chris Sutton
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Boasson Hagen still well placed in overall
While things may not have gone quite as well for team Sky in this year’s Tour Down Under as they may have hoped, the team still boasts two stage podiums [Down Under Classic and stage 3], and a rider in Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen well placed in the overall standings.
It says a lot about the team’s pedigree, with Michael Rogers, Chris Sutton, Geraint Thomas, along with “Eddy” creating a formidable squad. For whatever reason things haven’t quite clicked for the team, but Sutton is confident that a win is not far away – if not a shot at the GC.
“We’ve got a really versatile team here,” said Sutton, “which gives us a lot of options, each and every rider here for us is incredibly strong.
“I had a crack in the classic on Sunday but got bumped out of position, and never got back on to Edvald’s wheel.
“Then on the stage to Clare, I got caught behind the crash in the last kilometre. I had to get across the gap to Geraint’s wheel. I made it across but I think I panicked a little bit and went a little too early. I was a bit annoyed at myself, but that’s those early season nerves.”
To make the series of close-calls that much more frustrating, the team’s designated sprinter for today’s stage to Victor Harbor, Edvald Boasson Hagen rode the final kilometre on a deflating tyre. In the circumstances his third place was impressive – Sutton however dispelled suggestions that the team was suffering from a barren run of ‘luck’.
“No, no – I don’t believe in luck, you create your own opportunities. We just need to keep trying, we’re not far away.”
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